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THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 







THREE 

MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


Authorized Translations by 

YOZAN T. IWASAKI 

ti 

AND 

GLENN HUGHES 


With an Introduction by Glenn Hughes 




CINCINNATI 

STEWART KIDD COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 



COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY 

STEWART KIDD COMPANY 


All Rights Reserved 




These plays are fully protected by copyright in the United States, 
Great Britain and Colonies, and countries of the Berne Conven¬ 
tion. For permission to produce any one of these plays applica¬ 
tion must be made to Glenn Hughes, who holds both the profes¬ 
sional and amateur stage rights, and who may be addressed in care 
of the publishers, Stewart Kidd Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 


Printed in the United States of America 
The Caxton Press 


©C1A7G0407 





CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Introduction.7 

The Razor, by Kichizo Nakamura . . .13 

The Madman on the Roof, by Kan Kikuchi 57 


Nari-kin, by Yozan T. Iivasaki . 


• 77 



INTRODUCTION 


During the past quarter-century there have been 
many and varied attempts to interpret the East 
to the West. Through the media of philosophy, 
poetry, painting, drama, and allied arts, the Orient 
has made itself felt in a most striking manner among 
the Western peoples. And probably there is no 
one who will question the statement that the in¬ 
fluence of Eastern arts will become even greater 
in the future. 

Thus far the drama of the Orient, and of Japan 
in particular, has been interpreted to Europe and 
America chiefly through the translation of classical 
plays. The No drama is the most familiar, and its 
selection by translators has been caused, undoubtedly, 
by the fact that this type of drama is exceedingly 
old, and is the perfect flower of ancient Japanese 
civilization and culture. Poetic, dignified, stylized, 
and technically exquisite, the No represents a pecul¬ 
iarly true manifestation of the theatre of the East. 

Unfortunately, however, these classical plays do 
not lend themselves to translation. The dialogue 
which composes them is so simple that it comes near 
vanishing altogether when it is forced into another 
language, and inasmuch as the production of the 
No depends so greatly upon dancing, costuming, 
and music, a feeble and inadequate impression of their 
power and beauty is obtained by the reading of an 
English translation. 

Another point which must be made clear is that 

7 


INTRODUCTION 


Japan has undergone during the past few years a 
dramatic as well as an industrial transformation. 
The theatre arts of Europe and America have reached 
the younger generation, and have brought new forms 
of play-construction and presentation to be set up 
beside the formal methods of the No, the Kabuki, 
and the Doll-play. Ibsen and Strindberg, Tolstoi 
and Shaw have carried their technical and philo¬ 
sophical revolutions into the East, just as a few years 
ago they carried them into England and the other 
countries of the West. It was according to perfectly 
natural and comprehensible laws that the wave of 
modern drama should strike Japan after it had struck 
shores nearer home. 

But the realistic revolt, if we may speak academic¬ 
ally, has certainly functioned and is still functioning 
in the East. Thesis plays, both foreign and native, 
have already been seen in Tokyo, and are still seen 
regularly there. They have not supplanted the 
older classical drama, but they have challenged it. 
And the present-day writers of plays in Japan reflect 
most interestingly the conflict of these different 
dramatic impulses and theories. 

The three short plays which we have chosen to 
illustrate the new Japanese drama are different from 
each other, but they are all born directly of Western 
influences. “The Razor” is obviously an expression 
of industrial unrest, fashioned after the realistic 
psychological drama of Europe. “The Madman on 
the Roof” is in structure, if not necessarily in thought, 
distinctly Western. “Nari-kin”, written in the 
United States, is purely Occidental in its conception 
and arrangement. 

“The Razor”, by Kichizo Nakamura, was first 

8 




INTRODUCTION 


published in The Central Review in 1914. Within one 
year it had been performed seventy-one times in the 
principal cities of Japan and Manchuria. This suc¬ 
cess was due to the vision and ability of the late 
Shimamura Hogetsu, a professor in Waseda Uni¬ 
versity, who was the first man in Japan to found a 
modern art theatre. His co-worker, Sumako Matsui, 
a highly gifted actress who helped break down the 
native tradition against the appearance of women 
on the stage, appeared in the role of Oshika. These 
two ardent moderns considered “The Razor” to 
be the best modern one-act play in Japanese. 

The author, Mr. Nakamura, is a pioneer of the 
new drama. He has not, however, devoted himself 
entirely to writing for the theatre. In fact, it was a 
novel which made him famous. With “The Pastor’s 


House”, a novel which still enjoys tremendous popu¬ 
larity, he won a prize offered by the Osaka Mai-Nichi, 
and since that time he has grown steadily in public 
favor as a writer. Besides “The Razor”, he has 
written five other well-known one-act plays: “Meshi” 
(Rice), “Ridicule”, “After the Strike”, “Illusion”, 
and “The Butcher-Shop”. 

Kan Kikuchi, author of “The Madman on the 
Roof”, is considered one of the most versatile and 
clever writers in Japan. He is a successful novelist, 
short-story writer, and dramatist. Although still a 
young man, he is in great demand among Japanese 
readers, and is among the highest-paid contributors 
to magazines and papers. Critics classify him as an 
intellectual, and he is given credit for possessing a 
keenly analytical mind. His subject matter covers 
a wide range—from historical and legendary episodes 
to exceedingly modern dramatic conceptions. 


9 




INTRODUCTION 


“The Madman on the Roof” was published in 
1919, and was produced in 1920 at the Imperial 
Theatre, Tokyo, with Kanya Morita in the role of 
Yoshitaro. Other successful plays by Kikuchi include: 
“The Love of Tojuro” and “Greater than Vengeance”, 
both three-act dramas; and “The Father’s Return”, 
“The Son of a Revolutionist”, “A Hero of the Sea”, 
“The Wife Who Went on the Stage”—all one-act 
plays. 

The third dramatist whose work is given place 
in this volume is Yozan T. Iwasaki, who is largely 
responsible for the translation not only of his own 
play, “Nari-kin”, but of the other two plays as well. 
Mr. Iwasaki was born in Japan, received his education 
in Japan and in the United States, and for several 
years has lived in Seattle, where among other ac¬ 
tivities, he has directed the work of play-production 
on the part of Jiyu-geki-dan, a Japanese dramatic 
company devoted to the presentation of the world’s 
best plays before their own people, in the Japanese 
language. 

Here they have interpreted most admirably the 
finest works of Ibsen, Tolstoi, Strindberg, Shaw, and 
Hauptmann. From time to time they have gone 
to the new dramatists of Japan for material. Both 
“The Razor” and “The Madman on the Roof” have 
been played several times with great success, and 
Mr. Iwasaki has produced several of his own plays, 
one of them a three-act social drama of great power, 
called “The Price of a Wife,” which is now being 
considered for production in Japan. 

“Nari-kin”, included in this book, was written 
in 1919, and was performed soon after. Since its 
first showing it has been repeated on more than one 

10 




INTRODUCTION 


occasion, and has always met with great enthusiasm 
from the audience. In the original it has a vast 
amount of humor which it is not possible to retain 
in English translation; but the qualities of situation 
and characterization remain with sufficient effective¬ 
ness to suggest the interesting nature of the play. 

It is possible that this volume will not convey 
to its readers a very satisfactory impression of the 
new plays of Japan, for it is even more difficult to be 
true to the form and spirit of Oriental literature than 
it is to give an adequate conception of the literature 
of Occidental countries other than our own. The 
idiom of Japan is often unrelated to our English 
idiom, and the whole background of Japanese thought, 
tradition, and manners tends to thwart those who 
desire to act in the capacity of interpreters for the 
Eastern and Western Worlds. 

It is to be hoped, however, that some of the artistry, 
some of the clarity, and some of the dramatic beauty 
of these three plays will be revealed to those readers 
who are curious about the modern drama of Japan. 

Glenn Hughes. 

University of Washington, Seattle. 

May 6, 1923. 


11 






















THE RAZOR 


A Drama in One Act 
by 

KICHIZO NAKAMURA 

(.Authorized Translation,) 


CHARACTERS 


Tamekichi Kimura, a barber 
Oshika, his wife 

Hayata Noguchi, Secretary of the County Office 
Keichi Sato, Principal of the grade school 
Kanshichi, son of a rich merchant 

Shusaku Okada, Councillor in the Department of the 
Interior 

Place: A small village near Tokyo 
Time: The present 


THE RAZOR 


The stage setting represents the interior of a village 
barber-shop. Three-fourths of the room is taken up 
by the zashiki—a raised platform about two feet high, 
covered with matting. In the center of the zashiki 
is a charcoal stove, upon which stand tea-vessels. 
In the wall at the back of the zashiki are two sliding 
screens. The entrance from the street is through 
another sliding door, also in the back wall, but to the 
right of the zashiki. Two shabby mirrors hang on the 
right wall. Under them, on a shelf, are combs, brushes, 
perfumes, soap, etc. In the upper right corner is a 
wash-stand. Two light, movable barber-chairs stand 
facing the mirrors. The atmosphere of the room 
is musty and stale. Dust lies everywhere. One bright- 
colored fan lying on the shelf is reflected in the mirror. 

Tamekichi is discovered in his white work-jacket. 
He is busily engaged shaving a customer, and he 
appears much perturbed. His eyes flash nervously. 
Oshika sits on the zashiki by the charcoal stove, smok¬ 
ing a long Japanese pipe. She is about 27 years of 
age, and has charming eyes. Her hair is dressed 
in cho-cho ( butterfly) style. A few wisps of hair 
hang down across her pale white face. 

Noguchi is sitting on the edge of the zashiki reading 
a newspaper. He is about 25 years of age. He 
wears nickle-rimmed glasses, and his hair is cut 
in a short pompadour. He is dressed in a hakama — 
a skirt-like garment made of coarse material. 

15 


THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


NOGUCHI 

There will be a political speech at the Jyo-fuku 
Temple this afternoon, and tonight there is to be 
a reception. Well, he is a Representative in the 
House, and was appointed Councillor in the Cab¬ 
inet. The newspapers are all talking about him, 
and so is everyone in the village. It is a good 
thing that today is Sunday, so that a lot of people 
from neighboring towns will be able to come and 
hear him. It is certainly an honor for our village 
to have a great man like Mr. Okada. 

OSHIKA 

Isn’t he quite a young man still—about the age 
of my husband? 

NOGUCHI 

Perhaps in his thirties. When he is forty he may 
be Governor or Commissioner, and when he is 
fifty, he will be a Minister, I am sure. 

OSHIKA 

What! Is he really as great as that? What kind 
of looking man is he? I'd like to see him. 

NOGUCHI ( laughing ) 

Of course he is not handsome like an actor, but 
he has broad eyebrows, a tight mouth, and a dig¬ 
nified bearing. And then, he has piercing eyes— 
he sees through everyone. 

tamekichi (laughing sarcastically) 

He is related to a mind reader. 

NOGUCHI 

This is not a joke. Yesterday he came to the 
County Office to inquire about taxation, and after 
he left, the Chief and the Treasurer talked about 
him. “His eyes are fearful!” they said. “There 

16 




THE RAZOR 


is something striking about his eyes. But anyway, 
he is very democratic, or he wouldn’t have come 
down to the County Office himself.” They ad¬ 
mired him very much. 

TAMEKICHI 

Huh! Democratic! He went there for his own 
convenience. 

OSHIKA 

My husband went to see him yesterday, but Mr. 
Okada was too busy to receive him. This made my 
husband angry, but in our position we can’t help it. 

NOGUCHI 

That’s right. Even I have not been able to talk 
with him yet. I’ve only caught sight of him. 

tamekichi (working on his customer with the brush) 

Of course there is a difference between the Secretary 
of the County Office and a Councillor in the Cabinet; 
but not between Shusaku and myself. 

OSHIKA 

You see, he and my husband were classmates in 
grade school. My husband graduated in first 
place, and Mr. Okada was second; so he thinks 
Okada is still his old-time friend. But the world 
doesn’t go that way. I tell him not to think such 
things, or people will laugh at him. It really worries 
me. 

TAMEKICHI 

Which one of us will be laughed at—you or me? 

NOGUCHI 

The past is past. Now is now. If there is a differ¬ 
ence between the Secretary of the County Office 
and a Councillor in the Cabinet, there is no rela¬ 
tion at all between a village barber and a Cabinet 

17 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


Officer. Mr. Tamekichi’s queerness goes too far. 
Maybe it is the weather. (He takes up the newspaper 
again.) 

OSHIKA 

You are right! He is awfully disagreeable these 
days. Yesterday he tore up the newspapers that 
had the stories about Mr. Okada. He is crazy. 
I have to laugh at him. 

TAMEKICHI 

You talk too much nonsense. (He glares at her , 
then takes the customer over to the wash-stand.) 

NOGUCHI 

Ha! Here is a two-column story: “Okada, Coun¬ 
cillor, comes home covered with glory.” It’s in 
big type, too. Well, whether a man is good or bad, 
unless he is worth a headline in the paper, his life 
isn't worth living. For otherwise he is not sure 
whether he is dead or alive. . . . 

oshika (smiling with meaning) 

I got into the newspaper once. 

NOGUCHI 

Yes, yes. Over that suicide-pact. But you were 
young then. 

OSHIKA 

And now I am getting old. 

NOGUCHI 

No; I don’t mean that. You are still beautiful. 
(He is confused.) Er wasn’t the man 

put in jail? You were lucky to get safely out of it. 

OSHIKA 

Yes, I am still alive, and am a barber’s wife. No 
chance to get into the newspapers any more. It’s 
better to keep out of the newspapers, anyway. 

18 




THE RAZOR 


(Tamekichi has finished trimming the customer's 
hair, and now comes and sits on the edge of the zashiki. 
He lights his pipe. Kanshichi , the customer, joins 
them and smokes also. He wears a summer kimono, 
with a grey silk waistband.) 

OSHIKA 

Sit down, young master. 

KANSHICHI 

Thanks. (He sits down.) 
noguchi (to Kanshichi) 

Iseya-san, stay a while, and as soon as I get my 
hair trimmed, I’ll get even with you at chess. 
(He hurries to the barber-chair and seats himself.) 

kanshichi (to Tamekichi and Oshika) 

You are busy? 

OSHIKA 

No, not exactly. Come up and have a cup of tea. 

KANSHICHI 

Don’t bother about me. 

OSHIKA 

No bother at all. Won’t you come up? 

kanshichi (looking at Tamekichi, but speaking to 
Oshika) 

You are sure it won’t disturb you? (He climbs 
gingerly up beside Oshika near the stove.) 

OSHIKA 

How is your wife? Is she getting better? 

KANSHICHI 

No; she is at her mother’s; and I hope she doesn’t 
come back. It is a terrible, life-long burden to have 
a sick wife. 


19 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


OSHIKA 

It is a pity for you to say such things. 

KANSHICHI 

I can't help it. 

NOGUCHI ( laughs ) 

Ha, ha, ha! You infected your wife yourself, and 
now you are trying to get rid of her. You are 
heartless. It must be a miserable thing to be the 
wife of such a man. 

OSHIKA 

Yes, indeed! But all men are selfish. You are no 
exception. 

NOGUCHI 

Why, everyone says Mr. Tamekichi is a loyal 
husband; but you seem discontented in spite 
of that. 

OSHIKA 

Of course I am. 

(Tamekichi watches Kanshichi out of the corner of 
his eye.) 

NOGUCHI 

Say, Boss, when you finish your smoke, get my 
hair trimmed. I have to go to the Temple this 
afternoon and inspect the hall. I am very busy. 

TAMEKICHI 

You said just now you were going to play chess. 
Wait until I finish two or three more smokes. Don't 
get excited. I wasn’t born to cut men’s hair all 
the time. 

NOGUCHI 

But that’s your business, so stop talking nonsense. 


20 






THE RAZOR 


If you expect to live by barbering, you have to pay 
attention to your customers. 

t 

TAMEKICHI 

Yes, I live off my eight-cent customers. ( Sarcastic¬ 
ally .) Many thanks! 

OSHIKA 

Don’t be foolish! Get his work done. Of course 
it doesn’t matter so much if you talk that way 
to Mr. Noguchi, but just the same, it hurts business. 

TAMEKICHI 

I am getting tired of this business. I want to 
quit. 

NOGUCHI 

Oh, don't do that, Boss. You are the only barber 
in town. If you quit, everyone will have to go 
to the next village. 

OSHIKA 

He talks that way all the time these days, and 
worries the life out of me. Young master, I wish 
you would speak to him about it. 

KANSHICHI 

Well, of course you have to work. (He drinks his 
tea.) 

TAMEKICHI 

Yes, we have to work, and the young master has 
to loaf. It is a well-arranged world! 

OSHIKA 

Don’t put it that way. The young master is rich 
and doesn’t need to work. He has plenty of money; 
his employes work for him, so it is all right for him 
to play around. Our fate is quite different from 
his. 


21 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


TAMEKICHI 

Huh! Your fate is unlucky! I am sorry. 

oshika ( laughing) 

Perhaps my marriage was unlucky. 

TAMEKICHI 

If you had been redeemed by the young master, 
you would be a lady of the Iseya family, and wouldn’t 
need to even speak to a barber like me. You were 
foolish, all right to marry me. But as you were 
only a waitress in a tea-house, your present position 
is quite appropriate, and you had better be content 
with it. 

oshika (her face flushing with anger) 

Don’t say such things before the young master, 
you fool! 

tamekichi ( cynically) 

The young master hasn’t forgotten you, at any 
rate. He still comes to see you occasionally. You 
had better thank him for that. 

kanshichi 

I am going. Here is the money. (He throws a 
coin on the zashiki.) 

OSHIKA 

Thanks . . . is it twenty sen? I’ll get the 

change. (She rises.) 

KANSHICHI 

Keep the change. (He gets down from the zashiki.) 

TAMEKICHI 

Take your change. Here are twelve sen. 

KANSHICHI 

Never mind. I don’t want it. 


22 




THE RAZOR 


tamekichi ( sternly ) 

Yes you do. I have no reason to take more than 
the regular price. 

(Oshika hands twelve sen to Tamekichi, who holds 
it under Kanshichi's nose.) 

TAMEKICHI 

Thanks! 

(Kanshichi takes the money and hurries out.) 

NOGUCHI 

Boss, you are too outspoken. 
tamekichi (looking after Kanshichi) 

Beast! ( With a backward look at Oshika.) He’s still 
thinking about her! 

OSHIKA 

Why are you so cross? We lose customers every 
day; and he is a very important one. 

TAMEKICHI 

Yes, important to you. But to me he is a sneak- 
thief, who takes a barber shop for a tea-house. 
Running after women—with his soft white face! 
There’s not enough to him to pick up with chop-suey 
sticks. He eats, and produces nothing; but every¬ 
one respects him because he is a rich man’s son. 
It makes me laugh! 

NOGUCHI (growing serious) 

That’s right; just as you say. That kind of fellow 
we call a “bad egg’’. (He looks around cautiously.) 
We must be careful not to talk too loud, though. 

oshika (smilingly) 

And yet I hear you used to go around the tea¬ 
houses with him, at his expense. 

23 






THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


noguchi ( confused) 

Well, of course . . . once or twice I went with 

him ... for sociability. But I never made a 
fool of myself—for I have ambitions. 

OSHIKA 

Yes, I’ve heard for a long time that you were going 
to Tokyo to study. When are you really going to 
leave ? 

NOGUCHI 

After I finish the correspondence course, I will 
study for a year or two more, and then take the 
examinations for the bar or the civil service. You 
can be sure I won’t waste my whole life on this 
County Office Secretaryship. My superiors are 
always holding me down; and the only time I can 
show my importance is when I go to warn the 
delinquent taxpayers. 

OSHIKA 

That’s just it. This spring you came here to warn 
us about paying our delinquent taxes, and you 
threatened to attach all our dishes and furniture 
and everything. You were quite a different person 
then; I was afraid of you. 

noguchi (growing still more serious) 

I couldn’t help performing my duty. At such 
times I am not myself. The power of our country’s 
law takes possession of me; my natural feelings 
hide in some corner of my body, and I feel as though 
I had my hands on the pulse of other people. I 
enjoy seeing them suffer. But of course I am sorry 
afterwards, and am embarrassed when I see the 
same people again. (He scratches his head comically, 
and forces a laugh.) 


24 





THE RAZOR 


tamekichi (laughing cynically) 

Yes, just as you say—holding their pulse. I practice 
that every day. Only mine is more than their 
pulse—a vital point. Thus I hold the razor in 
my hand, and shave men’s necks. One slash of 
the razor would stop their breathing. And when I 
think of that, it seems to me that all customers are 
trusting fools. They don’t know anything of what 
I am thinking, and they trust their throats in my 
hands, without suspicion. They let me touch 
their naked flesh with my razor as freely as I like. 
No matter what noble faces they have, or how 
eminent they are, or how proud, I have hold of their 
necks, and it is in my power to kill or to let live, 
according to the motion of one finger. So, when¬ 
ever I finish shaving a man, I feel that I have 
saved a life, and I laugh to myself. 

OSHIKA 

Oh my! You mustn’t think and say such crazy 
things! There is something wrong with you. You 
had better go see a doctor. 

NOGUCHI 

Do you think such things while you are shaving 
people? That is terrible? 

TAMEKICHI 

In the beginning I did not. Then I was very cautious, 
and I tried to shave without hurting people, for 
the sake of my trade. But as I grew accustomed 
to it I got tired of doing the same thing every day, 
all day long. Finally I reached the point where I 
could stand it no longer. I wanted to cut some¬ 
body’s throat, so that I could quit this place. And 
ever since then, this idea has nested in my head; 

^5 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


when I shaved that youngster just now I thought 
I would thrust my razor into his throat. 

OSHIKA 

Oh! there is surely something the matter with him! 
What shall we do, Mr. Noguchi? 

NOGUCHI > 

I can hardly trust him to shave me now. If I am 
killed here in the barber shop I can never rise in 
the world—and I have great ambitions. (He 
moves to another chair out of Tamekichi's reach.) 

tamek i chi (with a contemptuous laugh) 

My craziness doesn’t make me cut the throats of 
county officials. For I would have to pay with 
my own life for such a deed. You are not worth it, 
any more than that youngster was. But if he had 
done something to my wife, he would never have 
got out of here safely, I can tell you that. 

noguchi (with a sigh of relief) 

If there is no cause, then, you will not kill anyone. 

TAMEKICHI 

Well, if there were a cause, it would be only natural. 
Whenever I have finished shaving anyone safely, 
I wonder why it is that the razor slides so smoothly 
over his face. If this point were to get just a little 
under the skin, it would cut the cheek-bone, and 
the red blood would spurt out. Why does the 
razor always slide over the surface? Ha, ha, ha! 
I know. My hand has become a machine to trim 
people’s hair and shave their faces. It is unbearable! 
I am still alive. And to prove I am alive, I would 
let the razor slip once. And yet, when I think it 
over calmly, something whispers to me that this 
would mean the exchange of my life. 

26 




THE RAZOR 


OSHIKA 

Mr. Noguchi! Why does he talk this way? 

NOGUCHI 

He has a rush of blood to the head. (To Tamekichi) 
Say, Boss, you had better rest a little while. 
TAMEKICHI 

No. I am still considering my own life, so there is 
no danger. But if I found the right person, I would 
exchange my life, for to go on with this monotonous 
business until I am a bent old man—that is awful. 
But I never meet one who is worthy—only the 
County Commissioner, the Village Mayor, and the 
Postmaster. I couldn’t cut their throats. . . . 

A month ago a Major came here to inspect the 
military drill, and he made a conceited remark 
about a country razor not being sharp enough. 
I thought of replying that if it wouldn’t cut hair, 
it would cut bones; and I came near thrusting 
the razor into his throat. But I didn’t do it; it 
seemed too foolish. 

NOGUCHI 

So the County Office was saved the trouble of 
settling that. It was a close call, though. 

oshika (with a deep sigh) 

There is surely something the matter with him 
these days. Please, Mr. Noguchi, don’t repeat 
these things to anyone. We might lose trade. 

TAMEKICHI 

So much the better if we lose trade! I have other 
ideas. This isn’t the only village the sun shines on. 
It’s a wide world. 
oshika (soothingly) 

Of course the world is wide, but this is our only 

27 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


way of making a living. We can’t do anything 
else, no matter how hard we try. 

NOGUCHI 

What you say is probably right. (He appears to 
think deeply.) 

(Sato, the School Principal, enters. He is about 
yo years of age, with grey hair and whiskers. He 
wears an old-fashioned short frock-coat, with silver 
chains on his vest.) 

SATO 

Good-day. Ah, Mr. Noguchi! You are waiting to 
be shaved, too? 

noguchi (very politely) 

No; I am in no hurry. You first, Professor. 

e 

(Tamekichi nods to Sato.) 

OSHIKA 

Welcome, Professor. Please sit down. 
sato (speaking rapidly) 

Thank you, thank you. Mr. Noguchi, you are 
first. No need for you to be so polite. 

NOGUCHI 

No ... I . . (Faltering) You go first, Pro¬ 
fessor. . . . 

TAMEKICHI (to Sato) 

Pray, sit down. 

SATO 

Thank you. How is business? Good, as usual? 

tamekichi (heavily) 

Yes. 


28 




THE RAZOR 


SATO 

Mr. Noguchi is very busy these days, too, I suppose, 
with all the receptions, lectures, and so forth? 

NOGUCHI 

Yes. . . no . . . just a little inspection this 

afternoon at the Temple. There are a lot of com¬ 
mittees, so I am not very busy. 

SATO 

Is that so? Well, at any rate today is a very joyous 
occasion. It is an honor to our village and an 
honor to our school. 

NOGUCHI 

Yes, indeed. Last year we celebrated the twenty- 
fifth year of your service, and this year we do 
honor to your pupil who has become a great man. 
So there is a double reason for rejoicing. 

SATO 

Indeed! It is a mutual pleasure. And Mr. Okada 
is as democratic as ever. He came to my house to 
see me last night, and we talked over old times. 
So today, as soon as I get shaved, I am going to 
repay his call. He leaves for Tokyo tomorrow 
evening. He is a very busy man. 

NOGUCHI 

Of course, as he is a high officer of the Central 
Government, time is important to him—even half 
a day. 

SATO 

That’s right. And some day he will be a Minister. 
Well, he showed signs of greatness even in his 
schooldays. He always stood first or second in 
his class—never lower. 


29 







THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


NOGUCHI 

It is all due to his school training, so you are re¬ 
sponsible. 

SATO 

Thanks, thanks! At any rate, from my pupil de¬ 
velops a great man. I feel very proud. That is the 
reward of a divine mission. 

TAMEKICHI 

Say, Mr. Noguchi, you come over here and sit 
down. Let’s start on you. 

NOGUCHI 

No. Professor, you first. Any time will do for me. 

SATO 

No, no, Mr. Noguchi! First come, first served. 

NOGUCHI 

Later will be all right for me. You first, Professor. 

SATO 

But that would not be right. I came later than you. 

TAMEKICHI 

I’ll finish either of you. 

NOGUCHI 

Professor, you please! 

SATO 

No. Courtesy is courtesy. 

tamekichi (sharpening his razor ) 

Then, Mr. Noguchi. I will stop your breathing 
first. 

NOGUCHI 

Don’t joke! I’m in no particular hurry today. 
My hair isn’t too long, anyway. 

TAMEKICHI 

All right, then, Professor, I’ll finish you. 

30 




THE RAZOR 


SATO 

Excuse me, Mr. Noguchi. (He crosses and sits in 
the chair. To Tamekichi.) You are working hard 
these days. That is fine. 

TAMEKICHI 

Not exactly fine. This miserable business. . . . 

SATO 

Why, one trade is no better than another. All 
that is necessary is for each man to do his best 
in his particular business. 

NOGUCHI 

That’s right, Professor. Mr. Tamekichi has stayed 
with this business a long time now; if he only 
keeps it up a little longer he will be all right. 

tamekichi (examining the razor blade) 

What shall I keep up? (He laughs loudly.) 

SATO 

Everyone has a divine work to do, and he must 
keep up that work. 

tamekichi 

You told me that same thing twenty years ago, 
and I have kept it up until this day. But now 
I am tired of it. 

SATO 

Yes, after your graduation you wanted to go to 
Tokyo to continue your studies; but your father 
was worried, and he asked me to advise you to 
follow his trade. And I agreed with him; so here 
you are. Now, isn’t that fine? 

TAMEKICHI 

But you didn’t advise Shusaku to follow his father s 
trade, and become a farmer. 

3i 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


SAJO 

But Mr. Okada had plenty of money, so I agreed 
that he should study in Tokyo. And that is what 
made him the famous man he is today. 

TAMEKICHI 

If I had had the money, then, I would not be a 
barber now. So it is money that makes men great. 
Ha, ha, ha! 

NOGUCHI 

After all, that’s just it. 

SATO 

Well, Mr. Tamekichi was very good in school, 
too. I thought about you a great deal. But if 
you had rushed off to Tokyo you would have gone 
astray. 

TAMEKICHI 

I did run away to Tokyo two or three times, but 
my father always came after me and dragged me 
back home. Since then I have been a good-for- 
nothing, and have gone from bad to worse. Oh, I 
have tried to get over the idea, but I can’t forget it. 
(He resumes his shaving.) 

(Noguchi returns to the edge of the zashiki and talks 
with Oshika.) 

Noguchi (whispering) 

You had better keep an eye on him, Oshika-san. 

OSHIKA 

Indeed I will. 

(She moves forward and watches Tamekichi as he 
works. He sighs occasionally.) 

32 




THE RAZOR 


SATO 

My whiskers are too thick—better shave them off. 
TAMER I CHI 

All right. 

SATO 

I am getting a lot of grey hairs, too. 

TAMEKICHI 

You can’t help your age. But if you talk too much, 
Professor, the razor may slip, and I can’t tell where 
I will cut you. 

SATO 

All right. All right. You scold me every time, 
but you have a razor in your hand, so I must do 
what you say. 

TAMEKICHI 

Better keep quiet; otherwise I can’t handle the 
razor. 

SATO 

All right. All right. 

(Tamekichi is now shaving around Sato's throat.) 

noguchi (in a low whisper) 

I am in a cold sweat. If he presses down with 
one finger, that will be the end. How helpless 
human life is! 

OSHIKA (turning to Noguchi) 

Sh-h! He will hear you! If he gets excited, no 
telling what will happen. 

noguchi (lying down on the zashiki) 

How helpless we all are! We go on madly seeking 
fame, wealth, success; but the pressure of one 
finger can end everything—and our life accounts 

33 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


are settled. After one is thirty it is foolish to go to 
Tokyo to study. Ah-h-h-h! (He sighs.) 

OSHIKA 

You are getting discouraged, Mr. Noguchi. 
noguchi ( excitedly) 

Without money one is powerless in the world! 

OSHIKA 

Yes, after all, it comes to that. 

NOGUCHI 

If he had the money, for instance, he might become 
Councillor too. You never can tell. 

OSHIKA 

Then I would be the Councillor’s Lady! . . . 

But I have missed that destiny. 

NOGUCHI 

A woman can become famous without money. 
Her capital is a beautiful face and a fine body. 

OSHIKA 

If you look at it that way, then a man’s capital 
is his arms. 

NOGUCHI 

Well, a man may have arms, but without money 
there is no hope for him these days. The times 
have made things that way. We can’t help it. . . . 
(He looks at Tamekichi.) He is pretty near through. 
(Muttering to himself) I am going out for a minute. 

OSHIKA 

What about your haircut? 

NOGUCHI 

After a while. I have something to do right now.— 
Excuse me, Professor. (He goes out hastily.) 

34 






THE RAZOR 


sato (coming back from the wash-stand, where Tame- 
kichi has taken him) 

Ah! I look younger. 

OSHIKA 

Professor, you always look well. 

SATO 

There are many things for me to accomplish yet 
in life, so I must keep strong and healthy.—By 
the way, give me a little perfume. 

(Tamekichi sprays him with perfume, then crosses 
to the zashiki. Oshika prepares some tea.) 

SATO 

Has Mr. Noguchi gone? Oh, I am sorry I let 
myself be shaved first. 

OSHIKA 

No; he will be back soon. 

SATO 

Yes? (He rubs his cheeks.) I feel much better. 
When my whiskers grow I feel very strange; I 
can’t tell whether it is my face or someone else’s. 
But now it feels fine. 

OSHIKA 

Have a cup of tea. (She serves it.) 

SATO 

Thanks, thanks. Here is the charge. Good-bye. 

OSHIKA 

Get your change, Professor. 

SATO 

No; nevermind. — Good-bye. 
oshika (following him) 

Thank you very much. (She turns to Tamekichi.) 

35 



THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


Tame-san, why don’t you say “Thanks” or some¬ 
thing? You are too rude. 

tamekichi (blowing a cloud of smoke) 

No thanks necessary. — That old duffer! — 
If Shusaku was remarkable in school, so was I. 
I graduated in first place. Talking about “divine 
work”, and hanging on by his teeth to this one 
job for twenty-five years without getting tired 
of it. A patient fool, that’s all! 

OSHIKA 

But that is just why the Governor rewarded him— 
for his twenty-five years of patient service. 

TAMEKICHI 

Then I suppose I should wait for a reward from 
the County Chief when I have finished twenty- 
five years at the barbering business. Like hell! 

OSHIKA 

Don’t lose your temper. That doesn’t help matters. 

TAMEKICHI 

Well, I’m getting sick of this life, so it’s only natural 
for me to lose my temper. In the first place those 
mirrors drive me mad. The same old dingy frames 
that were there in my father’s time. And if I look 
in the mirror I see the faces of the men in the chair 
changing every day—but the man who stands 
beside the chair, in the white coat—his face never 
changes. It is the same man always. Three hun¬ 
dred and sixty-five days in the year, the same 
man with the same hands, going back and forth in 
the same narrow room, repeating over and over 
the same stupid things without a blush. It is a 
glass prison! There is a man who cannot get out 
of it for his life; and I feel sorry for him, I pity 

36 




THE RAZOR 


him—but it is I, myself! I can't stand it! (He 
pulls his hair.) 

OSHIKA 

Well—that is our fate; so after all, we must be 
content with the three meals a day we get out of it. 
There is no other way—no matter what you think— 
so you may as well change your mind and settle 
down to work. 

TAMEKICHI 

I do work, but what comes of it? I work all 
my life like this, and support you. That is well 
enough for you. But is that the object of my life? 
Damned nonsense! You may like it. but I tell 
you I don't! 

OSHIKA 

Well then, can you tell me any other way? I don’t 
say I like to spend my whole life here, being sup¬ 
ported by you. I don’t say I am contented with 
that. 

tamekichi ( sarcastically ) 

Yes, when I see you entertaining the customers, 
I have an idea you are getting tired of it. 

OSHIKA 

Just as you say, I do get tired. Your customers 
change, but mine is always the same. 

tamekichi (looking at her suspiciously) 

You mean that I am your customer? 

OSHIKA 

Isn’t my husband the only customer that I have 
now? It wasn’t so before. 

tamekichi (spitting out his words) 

Huh! In the tea-house your customers changed 

37 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


every night. But nowadays your customer’s face 
never changes. So that is why you say you are 
getting tired! 

OSHIKA 

You just got through saying that the man’s face 
in the mirror never changed, so I was reminding 
you of my own case. 

TAMEKICHI 

What are you reminded of? 

OSHIKA 

Don’t be angry. I am serious, too, and some¬ 
times I think the same things that you do. 

TAMEKICHI 

Think what things? 
oshika (half laughing) 

When I wake up in the middle of the night, the 
same man is always sleeping beside me—and how 
dreadful I feel! (Tamekichi stares at her.) Ha, 
ha, ha! Don’t look at me like that—with that 
terrible expression! I don’t mean that I hate 
you. 

tamekichi ( collapsing ) 

Ah! Man cannot trust anyone! 

OSHIKA 

Don’t take it that way. You were talking about 
the mirror—I was talking the same way about 
my troubles. Everyone has to stand something. 

tamekichi (his voice trembling) 

That’s why these young toughs hang around here 
—because you are so frivolous. Even that Noguchi 
can’t be trusted. None of the customers can be 
trusted! That alone is enough to make me hate 

38 




THE RAZOR 


this business. I hate it! I'll smash that mirror! 
(He rushes across the room, Oshika following him 
and holding him by the arm.) 

OSHIKA 

Don’t lose your temper. If you break up every¬ 
thing, what will you do tomorrow? Can’t you 
see we’ll suffer for it? 

TAMEKICHI 

Let go! No matter how much we suffer—if we 
die, that will be the end of it. Let me go! Let 
me go! 

oshika (clinging tightly to him) 

I don’t want to die! If I wanted to die, I would 
have died a long time ago. 

TAMEKICHI 

With whom would you have died? (He turns and 
stares at her.) 

OSHIKA 

With anybody. No matter who. 

TAMEKICHI 

You harlot! (He strikes her on the face, and col¬ 
lapses in a chair.) You said you loved me—but 
you lied! 

oshika (scornfully) 

Think what you like. 

tamekichi (gnashing his teeth) 

I was fooled—and by such a woman! Am I such 
a miserable creature as that ? 

OSHIKA 

We are both miserable—you and I. We are a 
good match. That’s what you get for losing your 
temper and crying. But there’s no help for it. 

39 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


(Tamekichi grovels in his chair, his hands to his 
forehead. The door opens and Councillor Okada 
enters. He wears a frock coat and silk hat, with a 
gold chain on his breast. In his hand is a cigar, 
from which a cloud of smoke is rising.) 

okada (smiling in salutation) 

Good-day. 

oshika (bowing confusedly) 

Welcome. 

(Tamekichi rises and looks vacantly at Okada.) 
okada (still smiling) 

It is I, Okada. It is a long time since we saw each 
other. I am sorry that last night when you called, 
I was busy with other guests. 

tamekichi (his expression softening) 

Ah, Mr. Okada, you are welcome. (He nods his 
head.) 

(Oshika goes hurriedly to the zashiki and arranges 
the things upon it. In her embarrassment she places 
the old dirty cushions for Okada, instead of the clean 
ones.) 

oshika 

This way please, sir. Though everything is in 
bad shape. 

TAMEKICHI 

Please! 

okada (crossing in a dignified manner and sitting 
on the edge of the zashiki) 

Don’t bother about me. I just came to pay my 
respects. 


40 




THE RAZOR 


tamekichi (taking off his work-jacket and sitting 
on the zashiki, facing Okada. Politely) 

I am very happy to see you in my humble place, 
and I offer you my congratulations. (He bows 
politely.) 

OKADA 

Thanks. We haven’t seen each other for a long 
time, but I am glad that you are getting along so 
well with your trade. 

TAMEKICHI 

No; everything is very bad—so bad that I am 
ashamed to have you see me. 

OKADA 

Nonsense, nonsense! All that can be asked of 
anyone is that he do well with his own trade. There 
is no honor in being an official. (He puffs at his 
cigar.) 

tamekichi (with a bitter smile) 

But you are in an honorable position; while I am 
in such a miserable state that I am ashamed to 
talk with you. But I am thinking of quitting this 
business. 

OKADA 

Nonsense! Changing your trade wouldn’t help 
matters any. You must be patient. 

OSHIKA 

That’s right, sir, just as you say. 
okada (noticing her) 

Oh, I haven’t spoken to you before, but I presume 
this is the wife of Tamekichi-san. 
oshika (blushing) 

Yes, sir.—I have heard a great deal of you from 
Tamekichi. It is very nice of you to remember us. 

41 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


OKADA 

Well, Tamekichi and I were good friends in our 
mischievous school days. I often think of those 
times. 

OSHIKA 

Anyway, it is a great honor for us to have you 
visit us. 

OKADA 

Well, I must admit that I didn’t make a special 
trip here. I was seeing a friend nearby, and I 
thought I might as well drop in and get shaved. 

(Tamekichi looks at Okada, his eyes lighting up.) 

OSHIKA 

Oh, is that so? Then—get to work, Tamekichi- 
san. 

OKADA 

No hurry. I have nothing to do until afternoon. 
—When I came by the school building I noticed 
that the old black walls have been painted, but 
that the pasania tree hasn’t changed at all. 

TAMEKICHI ( coldly) 

Yes; some things change, and others do not. 

oshika (laughing amiably, and speaking to Okada) 

Ha, ha, ha! You are the one who has changed 
most. 

okada ( exultantly) 

I have not changed enough yet. I must break 
my cocoon two or three times more before I attain 
my desire. 

oshika ( flatteringly) 

Perhaps you will become a Minister. 

42 




THE RAZOR 


okada (laughing loudly ) 

Ah, you are flattering me!—But a Minister is 
nothing. Someone suggested not long ago that 
Ministers should be appointed by throwing orange- 
peelings into a crowd, and making Ministers of those 
who are hit. 

oshika (not knowing what to say) 

Er. ... ah. 

tamekichi ( scornfully ) 

It is not orange-peelings that are thrown, but 
money. One who has money can become a Repre¬ 
sentative or anything else; but the one without 
money is—a barber. 

okada ( seriously ) 

Tamekichi talks as though he really were tired 
of his trade. 

TAMEKICHI 

Tired nothing! I should have been born in a rich 
family, and been given a good education. Of course 
in grade school it doesn’t matter: there is no differ¬ 
ence between the poor and the rich. The strong 
boy is the leader, and the weak one a follower; 
the good student wins first place, the lazy student 
comes last. There’s no complaint on that score.— 
And speaking of that pasania tree, Shusaku-san— 
I remember one time I picked acorns from it by 
standing on your back. It was a moonlit night. 

okada ( reminiscently ) 

Yes, yes. I remember that time. A bat flew 
out of a hole in the tree and frightened you so 
that you jumped down. I was frightened too, 
and tried to run, but stubbed my toe on a root, 
and fell on my nose, and made it bleed. I was 

43 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


thinking of that today. Ah, we were innocent 
in those days! 

OSHIKA 

My, my! Did such things really happen? 

OKADA 

It is very interesting to recall the days of our youth. 
tamekichi ( sighing ) 

It makes me miserable. Mr. Okada has a future. 
Before me is darkness. I have lost my way. My 
hands and feet are bound. 

OKADA 

Why do you say such desperate things? If you 
work at your trade, isn’t that satisfactory? 

OSHIKA 

There is a proper work for everyone, according 
to his own ability. 

OKADA 

Quite right. If one can support a wife and child, 
he is a real man, and has no reason to be ashamed. 

TAMEKICHI (laughing in self-contempt) 

I am sick of being “a real man”! Unless you be¬ 
come a great man or an utter fool, and can turn 
the world upside down, life isn’t worth living. But 
to go on day after day with an existence as mo¬ 
notonous as a page of print, and not to be ashamed 
of it—that is not living at all. A man who does 
that is not a human being; he is a machine. I, 
myself, cannot tell sometimes whether I am using 
the clippers or the clippers are using me. It’s 
a miserable thing! 

Noguchi (calls as he looks in at the door) 

Just a hair-cut. I have shaved myself. (He enters , 

44 




THE RAZOR 


sees Okada, and is overcome with confusion. He 
bows embarrassedly.) 

TAMEKICHI 

Only a hair-cut, eh? 

NOGUCHI 

I am in no hurry. 

TAMEKICHI 

But you were first, so I will finish you up first. 
(He puts on his work-jacket and comes down to the 
barber-chair. To Okada) Just excuse me, will 
you? 

OKADA 

Yes, of course. 

NOGUCHI 

No!—Mr. Okada; you, please. Any time is all 
right for me.—Er . . . this is an unusual place 

for me to meet you. (He bows rapidly and awk¬ 
wardly.) 

OKADA 

Go ahead, please. I am in no particular hurry. 

TAMEKICHI 

Mr. Noguchi has been waiting since this morning, 
so I will fix him up first. (To Noguchi) It's strange 
that you shaved yourself. (Sneeringly) No one 
would. . . . 

OSHIKA 

Do Mr. Okada first. 

OKADA 

It doesn’t matter. (To her) If I wait, I can talk 
with you. 

OSHIKA 

Perhaps he can come to your house later, and 
shave you there. 


45 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


OKADA 

No, no! Don’t go to that trouble. When I was 
abroad I used to shave myself every morning, 
and since I got married, my wife shaves me. But 
my razor got dull and I sent it out to be sharpened. 
Then I came down here, and haven’t shaved for 
two days, so I don’t feel very well with my face 
so rough. 

(During this time Noguchi has seated himself in the 
barber-chair. He leans back, and Tamekichi starts 
cutting his hair.) 

OSHIKA 

So your wife shaves you? Is that so? (She smiles.) 
okada (looking closely at Oshika) 

I have seen you somewhere. Have you ever been 
in Tokyo? 

OSHIKA 

Yes; about ten years ago. But I never met you 
before. 

OKADA 

What part of Tokyo were you in? 

OSHIKA 

. . . Er . . . well . . . just in an out-of- 

the-way corner .... and for just a little 
while ... I don’t even remember very well. 

OKADA 

Is that so? Then it was my mistake.—Someone 
that looked like you. Ha, ha, ha! (He laughs 
pleasantly.) 

OSHIKA 

But Tokyo is a good city. It has changed a lot in 
ten years, I hear. 


46 




THE RAZOR 


OKADA 

It changes every day. Yes, Tokyo is the best 
city in Japan. Of course I’m not saying anything 
against my home town, but when I come here, 
I feel—cramped. 

OSHIKA 

That must be true. We would like to go to Tokyo 
to live. As long as you have to work hard anyway, 
it would be better to work in Tokyo. We get 
tired of the life here. 

okada (in a familiar manner) 

Come to Tokyo. That will be better for you. 
Why, if I stayed here a week I would get so I couldn’t 
stand it. Of course I shouldn’t say this, for after 
all it is my own district, and my parents live here. 

OSHIKA 

I agree with you. (Showing her dimples.) I should 
like to work in your house. 

OKADA 

Ha, ha, ha! That is excellent! If you were not 
married, I would take you with me. But as you 
are, I can’t very well do it. 

(Tamekichi is listening to them carefully.) 

noguchi (crying out) 

Ouch! Don’t cut my ear off! Be careful, Boss! 

TAMEKICHI 

I barely touched it. That’s nothing. 

(Okada, interested in Oshika, leans forward on the 
zashiki.) 

OSHIKA 

That needn’t make any difference. If you have a 

47 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


job for me, I'd like to go to Tokyo. So please 
don’t think I’m joking. You find something for 
me to do there. 

OKADA 

Sure! My wife is sickly, and we need a housemaid; 
if you know of anyone for the place, let me know. 
I’m not joking. You keep it in mind. 

OSHIKA 

You mean . . . your wife is really sickly? 

OKADA 

Yes; female trouble. She has been suffering for a 
year now, in and out of the hospital. It is very 
hard on me. A woman ought to be strong and 
healthy. You look as though you were. (He looks 
her over appraisingly.) 

OSHIKA 

I am too poor to be sick; but really I am not very 
strong. 

OKADA 

Why, you are fleshy enough. 

OSHIKA (smiling) 

Maybe it is only fat. And besides, my color 
isn’t good. 

OKADA 

Well, perhaps it is not so good where it is exposed, 
but in other places I imagine it is very good. There 
is no beauty in dark complexions, anyway. Ha, 
ha, ha! (He laughs loudly.) 

OSHIKA (simpering) 

You are very naughty, sir! Don’t you tease me. 
If you say things like that to young girls, they 
will believe you and follow you.—Will you really 
hire me as housemaid? 

48 




THE RAZOR 


okada (playing with his mustache) 

It is hard to manage with a married servant. But 
if you hear of anyone else, let me know. 

OSHIKA 

I know of one. (. Fawningly ) There are some ashes 
on your collar. (She leans over and brushes them 

off-) 

OKADA 

Thank you. (He looks over at Tamekichi, but speaks 
to Oshika.) It will take him a little longer yet, 
and I am pretty busy this afternoon. Maybe you 
could shave me. 

OSHIKA 

I shave you? Oh, I never shave anyone except 
Tamekichi. 

OKADA 

I’m not afraid of your cutting me. 

OSHIKA 

All right, then.—Of course I won’t shave you as 
well as your wife does. 
okada (laughs) 

But my wife hasn’t shaved me for more than a 
year. (He goes to the chair.) Shall I sit in this 
chair? 

(Tamekichi looks askance at Oshika, and plies his 
scissors wildly. Oshika goes and puts the apron 
around Okada s neck.) 

OSHIKA 

He is in a hurry, so I will shave him. Besides, 
he asked me to. (She sharpens the razor.) 

tamekichi (harshly) 

I’ll be through in a minute. 

49 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


OKADA 

I will trouble your wife; then it won’t be necessary 
for me to ask my old friend to shave me. 

(Tamekichi looks away displeased.) 

OSHIKA 

You are going away tomorrow, sir? 

OKADA 

Yes; I expect to leave tomorrow afternoon. I am 
a pretty busy man. 

OSHIKA 

I am sure you must be. So much coming and 
going must be awfully hard on you. And today 
you have a lecture and a reception. You must 
be tired. 

OKADA 

I am tired. But for the sake of their hospitality 
I mustn’t say so. 

OSHIKA 

The newspaper has something about you every 
day. We quarrel over who shall read it first. 

OKADA 

Ha, ha, ha! They are always exaggerating. The 
Tokyo paper attacks me, and says I am traveling 
on Government funds to boost our party. All 
that kind of nonsense. You know. 

OSHIKA 

When you get back to Tokyo will there be a reception 
for you? 

OKADA 

I’m afraid not. Ha, ha, ha! This time there will 
not be a reception. But the reporters will mob 

5o 




THE RAZOR 


me at the station. It’s an awful nuisance. And 
then they pad up their stories with lies! Especially 
the opposition papers. Oh, it bores me. 

oshika (touching him with the razor) 

I can’t do as well as your wife. I am only a be¬ 
ginner. 

OKADA 

That’s fine; fine! 

(Oshika smilingly rubs Okada's cheeks with her 
fingers, and looks at him in the mirror. At the same 
time Tamekichi combs Noguchi s hair roughly, and 
stares at the others out of the corner of his eye.) 

OSHIKA 

You have a very thick beard. 

(Tamekichi takes Noguchi to the wash-stand.) 

OSHIKA 

You have such beautiful hair. How I envy you! 

(Okada is silent. Tamekichi nervously pours perfume 
on Noguchi.) 

OSHIKA 

What a beautiful border of back-hair you have! 
It is nice enough for a woman. 

(Okada is still silent. Noguchi returns to the zashiki, 
sees Okada in the mirror, and bows.) 

tamekichi (hastily sharpening his razor, his eyes 
changing color) 

Get out of the way, Oshika; I will shave him. 

5i 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


oshika (looking at him in surprise) 

Never mind. There is just a little more to do. 
(In a lower tone ) Besides, he has dropped off to 
sleep. 

NOGUCHI 

Oshika-san, you had better do the shaving. The 
Boss is wild. He cut my ear. 

OSHIKA 

Oh, that’s too bad! There is something wrong 
with him, all right. 

NOGUCHI 

It’s even dangerous to let him use the scissors. 
I was uneasy, I can tell you. 

oshika (with a little laugh) 

Noguchi-san, you are too easily frightened. 

tamekichi (finishes sharpening the razor, feels of its 
edge, and smiles maliciously) 

The razor is not going to use me; I am going to 
use it. 

OSHIKA 

Never mind. I will finish him. It is all done but 
the throat. 

TAMEKICHI 

Get out! (He glares at her.) 

OSHIKA 

Never mind, I say! (In a lower tone) He is sleeping 
so nicely! 

TAMEKICHI 

Get out! (He takes her roughly by the arm and pulls 
her away.) 

OSHIKA 

Don’t be so rough!—I am afraid he will wake up. 

5 2 




THE RAZOR 


(Tamekichi takes her place, and begins rubbing 
Okada's throat.) 

OKADA 

Ah, you, Tamekichi?—I was having a good sleep, 
and was dreaming. 

TAMEKICHI ( coldly ) 

Perhaps you were dreaming of great fame and 
power. 

OKADA 

Well, I dreamed that I got a telegram and re¬ 
turned to Tokyo. Then I was invited to a won¬ 
derful palace, where there was a great hall with 
walls of gold hung with red velvet. The floor 
was a checker-board of black and white marble. 
—It was something like a palace that I saw when 
I was abroad. 

TAMEKICHI 

Huh! I can’t even dream of such things! 

okada (as if talking to himself) 

And there was a marble platform with three steps 
leading up to it, covered with a beautiful carpet. 
—On the throne sat a queen wearing purple robes 
embroidered with gold.—And it was very funny 
about the queen. 

tamekichi ( sarcastically) 

Eh ? How, funny ? 

okada ( laughing) 

Yes; it was very funny.—She resembled your wife! 
—I never had such a funny dream. I am sorry 
I woke up. 

(Oshika smiles at Okada in the mirror.) 

53 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


TAMEKICHI 

Huh! The queen resembled my wife, did she? 
That is funny! (He starts shaving Okada.) 

OSHIKA 

You must be very careful. He is an important 
man. 

tamekichi (turning upon her quickly) 

Who is important? You shut up! 

OSHIKA 

He’s an important man, I say. Don’t be as rough 
as you were on Mr. Noguchi. 

TAMEKICHI 

You make too much noise. Keep your mouth 
shut! (He looks in the mirror and sees himself. 
Dramatically) There he is! The same as ever! 
Working in his prison as he always is. He is a 
prisoner in a white coat, that fellow! . 

(He remains staring at his reflection.) 

OKADA 

What are you talking about? 

TAMEKICHI 

I see myself in the glass, and I am beginning to 
feel sad. That is what I am talking about. 

OKADA 

Well, what of it? 

TAMEKICHI 

Shusaku-san is dreaming of luxury, and of another 
man’s wife in purple robes. While I stand beside 
him, shaving, and breathing the bad odors of other 
men. I can’t stand it! I can’t stand it! 

OKADA 

You are getting a little nervous. 

54 




THE RAZOR 


TAMEKICHI 

Now there are two figures reflected in the mirror. 
But when Shusaku-san goes away, I will be left 
here alone. Left here alone in this prison forever. 
I can’t bear it! 

oshika (coming over near him) 

What are you saying? You had better hurry 
and finish shaving him. He’s a busy man. 

TAMEKICHI 

Chatterbox! You said you wanted to go away 
with him! 

oshika (with a bitter smile) 

Don’t take that seriously. You are nothing but 
a big child. 

OKADA 

He seems awfully nervous. (To Tamekichi) Why 
don’t you hurry and finish with me? 

tamekichi (growing excited) 

Yes! I will finish!—I hold the razor in this hand, 
and your throat in the other hand. Now I fear no 
man in the whole world. Even a Minister or a Gen¬ 
eral would be helpless. There is no one more power¬ 
ful than I. Until this moment I was slave to the 
razor, and was prisoner in the mirror; and I suffered 
and was afraid.—Fool! I am still alive! And 
today I am master of the razor! 

(The blade flashes. Okada screams , and falls to 
the floor, the chair tumbling over with him.) 

OSHIKA 

Oh-h-h-h! What have you done? (She screams.) 

55 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


NOGUCHI 

At last he has done it! (His voice trembles.) And 
there will be no lecture or reception! 

tamekichi (staring vacantly into space) 

Ha, ha! Ha, ha! It is my body that lies before 
me! (He laughs madly.) Behold! Justice! (He 
stands trembling—his face pale.) 


CURTAIN 




THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 

A Play in One Act 
by 

KAN KIKUCHI 


(Authorized Translation) 


CHARACTERS 


Yoshitaro Katsushima, the madman, 24 years of age 
Suejiro Katsushima, his brother, a 17-year-old high 
school student 

Gisuke Katsushima, their father 
Oyoshi Katsushima, their mother 
Tosaku, a neighbor 
Kichiji, a man-servant, 20 years of age 
A Priestess, about 70 years of age 

Place: A small island in Sanuki Strait 
Time: igoo 


THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 


The stage-setting represents the backyard of the 
Katsushimas, who are the richest family on the island. 
A bamboo fence prevents one from seeing more of the 
house than the high roof, which stands out sharply 
against the rich greenish sky of the southern island 
summer. At the left of the stage one can catch a glimpse 
of the sea shining in the sunlight. 

Yoshitaro, the elder son of the family, is sitting astride 
the ridge of the roof, and is looking out over the sea. 

gisuke (speaking from within the house) 

Yoshi is sitting on the roof again. He will get a 
sunstroke—the sun is so terribly hot. (Coming 
out.) Kichiji!—Where is Kichiji? 

kichiji (appearing from the right) 

Yes! What do you want? 

GISUKE 

Bring Yoshitaro down. He has no hat on, up 
there in the hot sun. He will get a sunstroke. 
How did he get up there, anyway? From the 
barn? Didn’t you put wires around the bam 
roof as I told you to the other day? 

KICHIJI 

Yes; I did exactly as you told me. 

gisuke (coming through the gate to the center of the 
stage, and looking up to the roof) 

I don’t see how he can stand it, sitting on that hot 
slate roof. (He calls.) Yoshitaro! You better come 

59 


THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


down. If you stay up there you will get a sun¬ 
stroke, and maybe die. 

KICHIJI 

Young master! Come on down. You will get 
sick if you stay there. 

GISUKE 

Yoshi! Come down quick! What are you doing 
up there anyway? Come down, I say! (He calls 
loudly.) Yoshi! 

yoshitaro ( indifferently ) 

Wha-a-at ? 

GISUKE 

No “whats”! Come down right away. If you 
sit in the hot sun you will get a sunstroke. Come 
on now—hurry! If you don’t come down, I’ll 
get after you with a stick. 

yoshitaro (protesting like a spoiled child) 

No; I don’t want to. Something interesting. The 
priest of the Konpira God is dancing in the clouds. 
Dancing with an angel in pink robes. They are 
calling to me to come. ( Crying out ecstatically.) 
Wait! I am coming! 

GISUKE 

If you talk like that you will fall, as you did the 
other day. You are already crippled and insane. 
How you worry your parents! Come down, you 
fool! 

KICHIJI 

Master, don’t get so angry. The young master 
will not obey you. Better get some bean-cakes; 
when he sees them he will come down, because 
he likes them. 


60 




THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 


GISUKE 

No; you had better get the stick after him. Don’t 
be afraid to give him a good shaking-up. 

KICHIJI 

That’s too cruel. The young master doesn’t under¬ 
stand anything. He’s under the influence of evil 
spirits. 

GISUKE 

We may have to put bamboo guards on the roof 
to keep him down from there. 

KICHIJI 

Whatever you do won’t keep him down. Why, 
he climbed the roof of the Honzen Temple without 
even a ladder; a low roof like this one is the easiest 
thing in the world for him. I tell you it’s the evil 
spirits that make him climb. Nothing can stop 
him. 

GISUKE 

You may be right; but he worries me to death. 
If we could only keep him in the house it wouldn’t 
be so bad, even though he is crazy; but he is always 
climbing up to high places. That makes a show of 
his insanity. Suejiro says that the Madman of 
Katsushima is known to everyone as far as Taka¬ 
matsu. 

KICHIJI 

Everyone on the island says he is under the in¬ 
fluence of the evil fox-spirit, but I don’t believe 
that, for I never heard of a fox climbing trees. 

GISUKE 

I agree with you. And I have another idea. About 
the time Yoshitaro was born, I bought a very 
expensive imported rifle, and with it I killed every 

61 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


monkey on the island. Now I believe the monkey- 
spirit is working in him. 

KICHIJI 

That’s just what I think. Otherwise how could 
he climb trees so well? He can climb anything 
without a ladder. Even Saku, the professional 
ladder-climber, admits that he is no rival of Yoshi- 
taro. 

gisuke (with a bitter laugh) 

Don’t joke about it! It is no joking matter, having 
a son who is always climbing on the roof. My 
wife and I worry over him every minute. (Calling 
again.) Yoshitaro, come down! Yoshitaro! Down, 
I say! —When he is up there on the roof, he doesn’t 
hear me at all—he is so engrossed. I cut down all 
the trees around the house so he couldn’t climb 
them, but there is nothing I can do about the 
roof. 

KICHIJI 

When I was a youngster I remember there was 
an icho tree in front of the gate. 

GISUKE 

Yes; that was one of the biggest trees on the island. 
And one day Yoshitaro climbed clear to the top 
of it. He sat out on a limb, at least ninety feet 
above the ground, dreaming away as usual. My 
wife and I never expected him to get down alive, 
but after a while down he slid safely. We were 
all too astonished to speak. 

KICHIJI 

Oh, my! That was a miracle. 

GISUKE 

That’s why I say it is the monkey-spirit that works 

62 




THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 


in him. (He calls again.) Yoshi! Come down! 
(Dropping his voice.) Kichiji, you had better go 
up and fetch him. 

KICHIJI 

But when anyone else climbs up there, the young 
master gets angry. 

GISUKE 

Never mind his getting angry. Pull him down. 
KICHIJI 

All right. All right. 

(Kichiji goes out after the ladder. Tosaku, the neigh¬ 
bor, enters.) 

TOSAKU 

Good-day, sir. 

GISUKE 

Good-day. Fine weather. How about the nets 
you put out yesterday. Catch anything? 

TOSAKU 

No; not very much. The season is over. 

GISUKE 

Is that so? Maybe it is too late now. But perhaps 
you will catch some hatsu fish. 

TOSAKU 

Seikichi caught two or three of them yesterday. 

GISUKE 

Is that so? 

tosaku (looking up at Yoshitaro) 

Your son is on the roof again. 

GISUKE 

Yes; he is up there as usual. I don’t like it, but when 
I keep him locked in a room he is as unhappy as a 

63 






THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


fish out of water. Then, when I think that is too 
cruel, and let him out, back he goes up on the 
roof. 

TOSAKU 

But then, he doesn’t bother anyone. 

GISUKE 

He bothers us. We feel very much ashamed when 
he climbs up high that way, and talks so loud. 

TOSAKU 

But your younger son, Sue-san, has a good reputa¬ 
tion at school. That is some consolation for you. 

GISUKE 

Yes; he is an unusually good student, and is some 
consolation to me. If both of them were insane, 
I don’t know how I could stand it to go on living. 

TOSAKU 

By the way, a Priestess has just come to the island. 
How would you like to have her pray for your 
son?—That is really what I came to see you about. 

GISUKE 

Is that so? Well, we have tried prayers several 
times before, but it has never done any good. 

TOSAKU 

The Priestess who is here now believes in the Konpira 
God. She is very miraculous. People say she is 
inspired by the Konpira God, so that her prayers 
are quite different from those of a mountain priest. 
Why don’t you try her once? 

GISUKE 

Well, we might. How much does she charge? 

TOSAKU 

Oh, she won’t take any pay unless the patient is 

64 




THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 


cured. But if he is cured, then you pay her what¬ 
ever you feel like. 

GISUKE 

Suejiro says he doesn’t believe in any prayers. 
. . . But there isn’t any harm in letting her try. 

(Kichiji enters carrying the ladder, and disappears 
behind the fence.) 

TOSAKU 

Then I will go to Kinkichi’s house and bring her 
here. In the meantime you get your son down 
off the roof. 

GISUKE 

All right. Thanks for your trouble. ( After seeing 
that Tosaku has gone, he calls again.) Yoshi! Be 
quiet now and come down. 

kichiji (who is up on the roof by this time) 

Now then, young master, come down with me. 
If you stay up here any longer you will have a 
fever tonight. 

yoshitaro (drawing away from Kichiji as a Buddhist 
might from a heathen) 

Don’t touch me! The angels are beckoning to 
me. This is not a place where you can come. What 
do you mean by it? 

KICHIJI 

Don’t talk nonsense! Please come down. 

YOSHITARO 

If you touch me the fairies will destroy you! 

(Kichiji hurriedly catches Yoshitaro by the shoulder 
and pulls him to the ladder. Yoshitaro suddenly 
becomes gentle.) 


6 5 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


KICHIJI 

Don’t make any trouble now. If you do you will 
fall and hurt yourself. 

GISUKE 

Be careful. 

(Yoshitaro comes down to the center of the stage, 
followed by Kichiji. Yoshitaro is lame in his right 
leg.) 

gisuke ( calling) 

Oyoshi! Come out here a minute. 

oyoshi (from within) 

What do you want? 

gisuke 

I have sent for the Priestess. What do you think 
about it? 

oyoshi (appearing at the gate) 

That may be a good idea. You never can tell 
what may help him. 

KICHIJI 

Some of them do good, and some don’t. 
gisuke 

Yoshitaro says he talks with the Konpira God. 
Well, this Priestess is a follower of the Konpira 
God, so she ought to be able to help him. 

yoshitaro (looking uneasy) 

Father! Why did you bring me down? There 
was a beautiful cloud of five colors rolling down 
to fetch me. 

GISUKE 

Foolishness! The other day you said there was a 
beautiful cloud of five colors rolling down, and 

66 





THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 


you jumped off the roof. That’s the way you 
broke your leg. Now today the Priestess of the 
Konpira God is coming here to drive the evil spirit 
out of you, so don’t you go up on the roof, but stay 
here. 

(Tosaku enters, leading the Priestess. She has a 
cunning look.) 

TOSAKU 

This is the lady I spoke to you about. 

GISUKE 

Ah, good-afternoon! You are welcome.—This boy 
is a great worry, and causes us much shame. 
priestess ( casually ) 

Don’t worry about him. I will cure him immedi¬ 
ately with the help of the God. ( Looking at Yoshi- 
taro.) This is the one? 

GISUKE 

Yes. He is twenty-four years old, and can do noth¬ 
ing but climb up to high places. 

PRIESTESS 

How long has he been this way? 

GISUKE 

Ever since he was born. Even when he was a 
baby, he wanted to be climbing. When he was 
four or five years old he climbed onto the low shrine, 
then onto the high shrine of Buddha, and finally 
onto a very high shelf. When he was seven or 
eight he began climbing trees. At fifteen or sixteen 
he climbed to the top of mountains, and stayed 
there all day long, where he says he talked with 
fairies and with gods, and such things. What do 
you think is the matter with him? 

6 7 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


PRIESTESS 

There’s no doubt but that it is the evil fox-spirit. 
All right, I will pray for him. ( Looking at Yoshitaro.) 
Listen now! I am the messenger of the Konpira 
God of this island. And all that I say comes from 
the God. 

yoshitaro ( uneasily) 

You say the Konpira God? Did you ever see 
him? 

priestess (staring at him) 

Don’t say such sacrilegious things! The God 
cannot be seen. 

yoshitaro ( exultantly) 

Oh, I have seen him many times! He is an old 
man with white robes and a golden crown. He is 
my best friend. 

priestess (taken aback at this assertion, and speaking 
to Gisuke) 

This is the evil fox-spirit, all right, but a very 
extreme case. Now then, I will ask the God. 

(She chants a prayer in a ridiculous manner. Yoshi¬ 
taro, held fast by Kichiji, watches the Priestess blankly. 
She works herself into a frenzy, and falls to the ground 
in a faint. Presently she rises to her feet and looks 
about her strangely.) 

priestess (in a changed voice) 

I am the Konpira God residing in this island! 

(All except Yoshitaro fall to their knees with ex¬ 
clamations of reverence.) 

priestess (with affected dignity) 

The elder son of this family is under the influence 

68 




THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 


of the evil fox-spirit. Hang him up on the branch 
of a tree and purify him with the smoke of green 
pine-needles. If you doubt what I say, you are 
all condemned! 

(She faints again. There are more exclamations of 
astonishment.) 

priestess (rising and looking about her as though 
unconscious of what has taken place) 

What has happened? Did the God speak? 

GISUKE 

It was miraculous. The God answered. 

PRIESTESS 

Whatever the God told you to do, you must do at 
once, or be condemned. I warn you for your own 
sake. 

gisuke (hesitating somewhat) 

Kichiji, you may go and get the green pine-needles. 
OYOSHI 

No! It is too cruel, even if it is the command of 
the God. 

PRIESTESS 

He will not suffer—only the fox-spirit within him. 
He himself will not suffer at all. So make haste! 
(Looking fixedly at Yoshitaro.) Did you hear the 
God’s command? Leave the body of this boy 
before you suffer? 

YOSHITARO 

That was not the voice of the Konpira God. He 
wouldn’t listen to a priestess like you! 
priestess (as though insulted) 

I will get even with you. Just wait! Don’t you 
talk back to the God like that, you wretched fox! 

69 






THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


(Kichiji enters with an armful of green pine-needles. 
Oyoshi becomes frightened.) 

PRIESTESS 

You must respect the God or be condemned. 

(Gisuke and Kichiji rather reluctantly set fire to the 
pine-needles, then bring Yoshitaro to the fire. He 
struggles against being held in the smoke.) 

YOSHITARO 

Father! What are you doing? I don’t like this! 
I don’t like this! 

PRIESTESS 

That is not his own voice speaking. It is the voice 
of the fox within him. And it is only the fox that 
suffers. 

OYOSHI 

But it is cruel! 

(Gisuke and Kichiji attempt to get Yoshitaro's face 
into the smoke. Suddenly Suejiro s voice is heard 
within the house.) 

SUEJIRO 

Father! Mother! T am home! 

gisuke (letting go his hold of Yoshitaro in consterna¬ 
tion) 

Sue is home! Today is not Sunday. What is he 
doing home today? 

(Suejiro appears in the gateway. He wears a high- 
school uniform, and is a dark-complexioned, active 
boy. He stands amazed at the scene before him.) 

70 




THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 


SUEJIRO 

What’s the matter, Father? 

giske ( confused) 

What ? 

SUEJIRO 

What is the meaning of this smoke? 

yoshitaro (coughing from the smoke, and looking 
at his brother as at a savior) 

That you, Sue? Father and Kichiji have been 
putting me in the smoke. 

suejiro ( angrily ) 

Father! What foolish thing are you doing? Haven’t 
I told you time and again about this sort of busi¬ 
ness? 

GISUKE 

But the miraculous Priestess, inspired by the 
God of- 

suejiro ( interrupting ) 

Rubbish! You do these foolish things merely 
because he is so helpless. (He looks contemptuously 
at the Priestess and crosses over and stamps the fire 
out with his feet.) 

priestess 

Wait! That fire was made at the command of 
the God! 

(Suejiro sneeringly puts out the last spark.) 

gisuke (more courageously) 

Suejiro, I have no education, and you have, so 
I am always willing to listen to you. But this fire 
was made at the God’s command, and you mustn’t 
stamp on it. 


71 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


SUEJIRO 

Smoke won’t cure him. People will laugh at you 
for talking about the fox-spirit. Why, if all the gods 
in the country were called upon together, they 
couldn’t cure even a cold. This Priestess is an 
impostor! All she wants is the money— 

GI SURE 

But the doctors can’t cure him. 

SUEJIRO 

When the doctors can’t cure him, no one can. 
I’ve told you before that he doesn’t suffer. If he 
did, we would have to do something for him. But 
as long as he can climb up on the roof, he is happy 
from morning till night. There is no one in the 
whole country as happy as he is—perhaps no one 
in the world. Besides, if you cure him now, what 
can he do? He is twenty-four years old and knows 
nothing—not even the alphabet; and he has had 
no experience. If he were cured, he would be 
conscious of being crippled, and would be the 
most miserable man in the country. Is that what 
you want to see? It’s all because you want to make 
him normal. But isn’t it foolish to become normal 
merely to suffer? ( Looking sidewise at the Priestess.) 
Tosaku-san, if you brought her here, you had 
better take her away. 

priestess (angry and insulted) 

You disbelieve the oracle of the God. You are con¬ 
demned! {She starts her chant as before. She faints, 
rises, and speaks in a changed voice.) I am the 
great Konpira God! What the brother of the 
patient says, springs from his own selfishness, for 

7 2 




THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 


when his brother is cured, the estate of the family 
will go to him—don’t forget that. . . . 

suejiro (excitedly knocks the Priestess down) 

It’s a damned lie, you old fool! (He kicks her two 
or three times.) 

priestess (getting to her feet and resuming her ordinary 
voice) 

Ouch! Ouch! What are you doing? You wretch! 

SUEJIRO 

You fraud! You swindler! 

tosaku (coming between them) 

Now, young man, wait! Don’t lose your temper. 

suejiro (still excited) 

You liar! A woman like you can’t understand 
brotherly love! 

TOSAKU 

Well, we’ll go home right away. It was my mistake 
that I brought you here. 

gisuke (giving Tosaku some money) 

Maybe you will excuse him. He is young and he 
has such a temper. 

priestess 

You kicked me when I was inspired by the God. 
Such a wicked fellow will be lucky to live until 
tonight. 

SUEJIRO 

Liar! 

oyoshi (soothing Suejiro) 

Be quiet now. (To the Priestess) I am very sorry 
for you. 


73 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


priestess (going out with Tosaku) 

The foot you kicked me with will soon decay! 

(The Priestess and Tosaku go out.) 

gisuke (to Suejiro) 

Aren’t you afraid of being punished for what you 
have done? 

suejiro 

A god never inspires a woman like that old swindler. 
She lies about everything. 

OYOSHI 

I suspected her from the very first. If she was 
inspired by a real god, she wouldn’t do such cruel 
things. 

gisuke (without any insistence) 

Maybe so. But, Sue, your brother will be a burden 
to you all your life. 

SUEJIRO 

It will be no burden at all. When I become suc¬ 
cessful, I will build a high tower on top of Mount 
Takanoshiro, and there he can live. 

gisuke (suddenly) 

But where has Yoshitaro gone, anyway? 

kichiji (pointing at the roof) 

He is up there. 

gisuke (having to smile) 

As usual. 

(During the preceding excitement, Yoshitaro has 
slipped away and climbed back up on the roof. The 
four persons below look at each other and smile.) 

74 




THE MADMAN ON THE ROOF 


SUEJIRO 

A normal person would be angry with you for 
having put him in the smoke; but you see, he has 
forgotten everything. (He calls.) Brother! 

yoshitaro (as brotherly affection springs from his 
heart) 

Suejiro! I asked the Konpira God, and he says he 
doesn’t know her! 

suejiro (smiling) 

You are right. The God will inspire you instead 
of a Priestess like her. 

(Through a rift in the clouds , the golden light of sunset 
strikes on the roof.) 

suejiro (exclaiming) 

What a beautiful sunset! 

yoshitaro (his face lighted by the suns reflection) 

Sue, look! Can’t you see a golden palace in yonder 
cloud? There! There! Can’t you see? Just 
look! How beautiful! 

suejiro (as he feels the sorrow of sanity) 

Yes, I see. I see it, too. Wonderful. 

yoshitaro (filled with joy) 

There! From within the palace I hear the music 
of flutes—which I love best of all! Is it not beauti¬ 
ful? 

(7 he parents have gone into the house. The mad 
brother on the roof, and the sane brother on the ground, 
remain looking at the golden sunset.) 

CURTAIN 


75 




NARI-KIN 

A Farce in One Act and Two Scenes 

by 

YOZAN T. IWASAKI 

(Authorized Translation,) 


CHARACTERS 


Matsuzo Honda, an old man 
Yokichi Honda, his son, 26 years of 
Oshina, his daughter, 18 years of age 
Tomegoro, a laborer 
Mitsumura, owner of a shirt factory 
Chikako, his wife 
Tamai, his factory manager 

Place: Osaka 
Time: The Present 


NARI-KIN* 


SCENE I 

The dwelling of Matsuzo Honda, in the poor quarter 
of Osaka. The entire stage is taken up with the zashiki, 
or that portion of a room which is elevated above the 
general floor level. There is an entrance at the left. The 
room contains a screen, a shelf, a charcoal stove, 
etc., but is very simple, and creates an atmosphere of 
poverty and gloom. 

It is afternoon. When the curtain rises, the old man 
is cooking at the charcoal stove. Yokichi enters. 

YOKICHI 

Father, here I am. 

MATSUZO 

You are early this evening. What’s the matter? 
Has anything happened? 

YOKICHI 

Yes, I think we are going on strike. 

MATSUZO 

What’s that? You are going on strike? 

YOKICHI 

Yes, we sent a committee to negotiate with the 
employers about extra night work, but they refuse 
to pay overtime, so now everyone is mad, and 
unless they come through, we will strike. The 
manager of the company, though, is very sym- 

* A term corresponding roughly to the French nouveaux-riches, 
and used in Japan especially to designate war-profiteers. 

79 



THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


pathetic with us workers, and has promised to 
arbitrate for us. He asked us to wait until ten 
o’clock tomorrow morning. 

MATSUZO 

Is that so? Well, then, I think everything will 
be settled all right. (He pauses.) The manager is 
that young man back from America? 

YOKICHI 

Yes, that is the one. I told you about him the 
other day, didn’t I ? (He pauses.) You know 
in America the working people have more rights 
than we have here; so he is naturally sympathetic 
toward the workers, even though he is very young. 

matsuzo (arranging the supper, and carrying the 
cooked fish to the small table, center) 

Is that right? If he is such a fine young man, it 
would be a good thing to have him marry our 
Oshina. 

yokichi (without enthusiasm) 

No, father. No chance of that. He’s out of our 
class. We are poor men working for the company, 
and he’s our manager. He wouldn’t consider us 
good enough. 

MATSUZO 

But he is a man, and a man’s position should be 
higher than his wife’s. 

YOKICHI 

But since he hasn’t asked to marry her, how are 
you going to manage it? 

MATSUZO 

That’s just it. That’s what you must manage. 
Many wealthy men marry their own housemaids, 

80 




NARI-KIN 


or buy geisha girls for wives. Class difference 
has nothing to do with marriage. And why shouldn’t 
the manager of a factory marry one of the girls 
working in the factory? Besides, Oshina is the 
nicest girl in the lot. The neighbors say so, too. 

YOKICHI 

But father, I don’t want our Oshina treated like a 
geisha girl. I am poor, but I am a man of honor; 
and if anyone mistreats my sister, I will kill him. 
You may as well get these foolish notions out of 
your head. 

MATSUZO 

Of course you’re a man of honor. That’s what I 
am saying. And that’s why you don’t need to 
consider yourself inferior. You can make him 
marry your sister. Get her to flirt with him. 

YOKICHI 

No, father! We don’t want to do that. You 
mustn’t suggest such things. (He pauses.) Where 
is Oshina, anyway? Hasn’t she come home yet? 

MATSUZO 

She usually gets here before you do, but she hasn’t 
come home yet today. 

YOKICHI 

She hasn’t? Why, all the girls quit work at noon 
today. She should have been here long before 
now. Maybe she went to the movies. It worries 
me to have her hanging around downtown. 

MATSUZO 

Sure; that’s what I say. She’s eighteen years old, 
and needs a man. Unless we get her married, she 
is apt to go wrong, then our family will be dis¬ 
graced. 


81 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


yokichi ( angrily) 

I don't like the way she’s acting—hanging around 
downtown and leaving you to do the cooking. 

MATSUZO 

Don’t lose your temper again today. If you do 
she may leave home the way she did before. Come 
on; eat plenty of rice and be good. 

(They begin eating. Oshina enters. She is dressed 
in the simple clothes of a working girl. Yokichi 
gives her an angry look, and goes on eating his rice. 
Oshina is frightened, and sits down on the corner of 
the zashiki.) 

matsuzo (scolding her in order to please Yokichi) 
Oshina, where have you been so late? Your brother 
came home a long time ago. You must behave 
like a good girl. (He moves the charcoal stove from 
in front of Yokichi to a place near Oshina.) It's 
cold outside, and you’re apt to catch cold. Now 
warm yourself and eat some supper. 

(Yokichi glares angrily at this show of kindness. 
He heaps his dish high with rice , then goes and brings 
the stove back to his own place.) 

MATSUZO 

Don’t be so mean. You’ve already warmed your¬ 
self, and she has just come in. Let her have the 
stove. (He takes it back to Oshina, and says) You’ve 
been a bad girl today, and your brother is mad 
at you. Be more careful after this. 

(Yokichi has been stirring the fire with the hibashi, 
or small steel rods belonging to the stove; and now, 

82 





NARI-KIN 


in his anger, he forgets what he is holding, and begins 
using them in place of chopsticks to eat with. He 
burns himself with them. This increases his rage. 
He takes them over to the stove, lays them on the fire, 
and forces Oshina s hands down on them.) 

YOKICHI 

There, young lady, warm yourself! (He sticks 
out his tongue at her.) 

MATSUZO 

Now! Don’t be so ill-tempered. You might for¬ 
give her this time. And you, Oshina, promise him 
that you will be a good girl. He loves you very 
much—that’s why he is angry. (He catches sight 
of a small parcel wrapped in cloth, which Oshina 
has brought home with her.) What have you got 
there? Is that a present for your brother? Why 
don’t you open it? Let me see. (He unfolds it 
and shows delighted surprise.) Oh, rice cakes! 

(As Yokichi hears this his face softens, but happen¬ 
ing to look at Oshina, he pretends that he is still angry.) 

MATSUZO 

Here! Eat some of this, and make peace with 
her. 

(Matsuzo puts the box of rice cakes before Yokichi. 
Oshina lowers her head and remains silent.) 

yokichi (pettishly) 

I don’t want it. I won’t eat anything she brings 
home. 

MATSUZO 

Don’t talk that way. Eat this—it is fine. (He 

83 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


eats.) These are fine cakes. You had better eat 
and be good. 

yokichi (tempted to eat, but disliking to give in, mutters ) 
No sense in her staying out so long. Where have 
you been, anyway? (He takes one rice cake.) 

MATSUZO 

Don’t say any more about it. (He hands the box 
of cakes to Oshina.) You want some too, don’t 
you? And promise you’ll come straight home 
after this. . . . You like the ones with egg, 

don’t you? There's one, right there. 

oshina (shaking her head) 

I don’t want any. I’ve already eaten. 

MATSUZO 

You’ve eaten, you say? Where? (He looks into 
her face.) Then this is all for your brother, eh? 
(Understandingly) That’s like a good sister. (He 
turns the box over to Yokichi.) Now, Yokichi, this 
is all for you. So eat it, and be nice to her. 

yokichi (starts to take another cake, but sees the trade¬ 
mark on the box) 

What! This trademark says “Chidori Restaurant, 
Sumiyoshi”! (Musingly) The “Chidori” is the 
most famous restaurant in Sumiyoshi. That’s no 
place for a working girl like you. How did you 
get there? Who did you go with? (Severely) 
Who took you out to such a big restaurant? It 
wasn’t any common man. (Loudly) Oshina, 
where were you this afternoon, and who was with 
you? Speak up, I say! Who took you to Sumi¬ 
yoshi ? 

oshina (indifferently) 

Don’t you worry about that. 

84 




NARI-KIN 


YOKICHI 

It’s my business to worry. Who were you with? 
You little fool! 

MATSUZO 

Now, Oshina, you are still a young girl, so you 
must let him look after you. Tell him who you 
went with. It must have been some very fine 
man . . . who? 

OSHINA 

Oh. . . . ( Casually ) The President took me 

over there. 

YOKICHI 

What! (In astonishment ) The President! 
matsuzo (to Oshina) 

You mean the President of the Company? 
oshina (nodding) 

Yes. 

matsuzo (happy and excited) 

Yokichi, did you hear that? She went to Sumiyoshi 
with the President! (Yokichi stares at Oshina.) 
He is in love with her, I’ll bet! Didn’t I tell you 
she was the nicest girl in the bunch? Now, Yokichi, 
you will get a good chance, too. And it’s all her 
doing. Don’t you see how grand it is? 

yokichi (very angry) 

Father, what are you talking about? The President 
has a legitimate wife. There’s nothing good in it 
for Oshina. (To Oshina) Look here, Oshina; 
there must be something else. Tell me now, where 
have you been with him all afternoon? You must 
have gone somewhere besides the restaurant; it 
wouldn’t take the whole afternoon for you to eat. 
Where else did you stop ? Speak up! 

35 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


oshina (in a natural manner) 

I haven’t done anything wrong. We just rode 
around in the machine, and he showed me every¬ 
thing. 

matsuzo (growing more excited) 

Did you hear that? She has been joy-riding! 
People like us hardly get a ride in an automobile 
once in a lifetime. That was a great chance for 
her. I tell you he is in love with her! 

yokichi (ignoring his father) 

Look here, Oshina. Lift up your head! Do you 
realize what he is after, when he takes a common 
working girl like you joy-riding, and treats you in 
a big restaurant? You are playing with fire. (He 
forces her head back until she looks at him. And then 
he sees that she is carrying a watch in the bosom of her 
kimono.) What’s this? A gold watch! (Now he 
notices that she wears a diamond ring on her finger.) 
And this! A diamond ring! So he gave you these! 
There’s something between you, if he makes you 
such gifts. Did you stop at a hotel with him? 
Speak! 

MATSUZO 

Now, Oshina, if it is true, why don’t you tell him? 
The President is rich, and we can get some money 
out of him. 

YOKICHI 

Father, aren’t you ashamed! Have you no sense 
of decency left? What does it matter if he is the 
President, and a rich man? He has a lawful wife. 
We are poor folks, but Oshina is a pure girl, and I 
won’t stand for her being abused. 

86 




NARI-KIN 


MATSUZO 

Don’t be so self-righteous. That’s not the business 
of poor people like us. If she is attractive to a 
rich man, that’s her good luck. Maybe he will make 
her his mistress, and give her a good monthly 
allowance, then she won’t need to work any more 
at the factory, and I can have an easy life too. 
Don’t you see? 

yokichi (still angry) 

If you want her to do that, why don’t you sell her 
to a house of prostitution and have done with it? 
(Tears come to his eyes.) Look at me. I have 
nothing to wear but this old cotton kimono, yet 
because she is young, I bought her last Christmas a 
fine new coat. It isn’t real silk, but it was the best 
I could afford. I wanted her to look decent. (To 
Oshina) You don’t understand how much I care 
for you, or you wouldn't hurt me as you do. You’re 
letting your vanity turn you into a plaything for 
these rich rascals. (To Matsuzo) Father, she is 
your only daughter, and my only sister. How can 
you say it is good luck for her to be abused? The 
poorer you get, the lower you sink. (To Oshina) 
You immoral girl, you! (He kicks her.) 

OSHINA 

I tell you, we didn’t stop at any hotel. We went 
to the restaurant to eat, then we rode around 
awhile and came home. 

YOKICHI 

You are lying! No man would give you such 
expensive things just for that. 

MATSUZO 

But this man is rich. These presents seem very 

87 






THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


expensive to us because we are poor; but to him 
they are like toys that he would buy for a child. 
We needn’t worry about that. She’s a nice girl, 
and he just wanted to show her some kindness. 

YOKICHI 

Thanks for his kindness! I don’t like his motive. 

MATSUZO 

Oh, you’re always making something out of nothing. 

YOKICHI 

But he isn’t generous. He refuses to pay better 
wages, so why should he want to spend anything 
merely for the sake of kindness. . . . And if he 

did, you haven’t any reason for accepting his gifts. 
I am going to return them to him. (He tries to take 
the watch and ring from Oshina.) 

MATSUZO 

Don’t be so foolish! What’s the use of returning 
them? He gave them to her, and she is glad to 
have them. 

f 

YOKICHI 

No! She is not in a position to accept these things. 
Hand them over to me, I tell you! (He snatches 
them from her.) 

(Tomegoro enters. He is a laboring man, about 
forty years of age, and is dressed in his work-clothes.) 

tomegoro (very excitedly) 

Yokichi! Yokichi! We are out on strike! 

YOKICHI 

What! Has it come to that at last! 
tomegoro (explaining) 

We sent our committee to try to settle things, but 

88 




NARI-KIN 


they came back without any satisfactory answer, 
so we voted to strike. There is no use trying to 
settle things peaceably with that company—they 
are too mean. 

yokichi ( thoughtfully ) 

It’s easy to start a strike, but hard to finish it. 
The company can go a long time before it suffers* 
it’s us workers who feel it most. 

tomegoro ( confidently) 

Don’t worry about that. It may take a long time, 
but we’ll burn the company’s houses before we 
starve to death. 

(A crowd of workers is heard shouting outside.) 

TOMEGORO 

Here they come! Here they come! 

(He runs with the others to the door to see the excite¬ 
ment. There is a moment of tenseness in the room.) 

CURTAIN 


SCENE II 

The office in Mitsumura s shirt-factory. There is a 
flat table in the center of the room, and a desk in the 
left corner. Three chairs are placed around the table. 
There is a door in the left wall, leading to another 
room, and a door at right leading to the street. A 
window in the back wall, at center. 

As the curtain rises Mitsumura is discovered sitting 
at the table, center. He is well-dressed, and is engaged 
in reading a newspaper. No doubt he is reading the 

89 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


local news section. His face is concealed from the 
audience by the paper. 

Tamai, his manager, about thirty years of age, and 
dressed in American clothes, is seated at the desk, 
writing. There is silence for almost a minute following 
the rise of the curtain. Then Mitsumura bursts into 
laughter. 

tamai (turning toward Mitsumura in surprise, and 
speaking seriously) 

What’s the matter, sir? 

MITSUMURA 

Well, that rascal! He had a lot of fun. 

TAMAI 

Whom are you talking about? 

MITSUMURA 

That Mokichi, who used to be a shipping clerk 
and now is worth half a million. Made it during 
the war, and is spending it as fast as he made it. 

TAMAI 

Is that what you meant by “a lot of fun”? 

MITSUMURA 

Certainly, certainly. That’s the most fun a man 
can have. The paper says here that last night he 
invited all the geisha girls in the Nakano-cho to a 
cafe and had a big time—nude dancers and every¬ 
thing. ( Enthusiastically ) There must be about 
fifty girls in the Nakano-cho, mustn’t there? Think 
what a glorious time he had! And only money can 
do it. ( Enviously ) Only money. 

tamai (with an air of disgust) 

That is abusing the power of money, sir. But 

90 





NARI-KIN 


such things seem the only ambitions of Japanese 
business men. It is the curse of our civilization. 

MITSUMURA 

But it’s not only the business men. How about 
the army officers and politicians? They have the 
same ambitions. It’s the custom of this country. 
There is a saying that “All great men are libertines.” 
Why, any real man ought to have five or ten geisha 
girls around. Of course a man like you, working 
for someone else, must behave himself. And I 
must say, you are a good example of that type. 

TAMA I 

Yes, that is an old tradition in this country, and 
it is our national shame. Society encourages the 
idea, and as a result, if any man lives up to it, the 
newspapers report it as something to be proud of, 
and no one blames him. Yet they call us one of the 
civilized nations of the world! I believe we Japanese 
have the lowest morals in the world. 

MITSUMURA 

Not at all. Not at all. You have been in America 
a long while, but most of the time you were in 
school, so you saw that country through the school¬ 
room window. Consequently you don’t know the 
real life of America. I’ve never been there my¬ 
self, but I’ve heard Mr. Hayami, President of the 
Osaka Bank, and Mr. Asai, Representative in the 
House, who traveled abroad, say that in Europe and 
America that sort of life is wonderfully developed. 
The New York underworld is the finest to be seen 
anywhere. They admired it tremendously. 

TAMA i 

Of course any country has its dark side, for it is 

9i 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


the inevitable product of an imperfect social system. 
But at the same time, they are trying to improve 
conditions over there, and they never approve 
of it morally. Besides, there is no use our excusing 
ourselves on the ground that other countries suffer 
from such conditions. It should be the duty of 
rich people to save girls from such a life. It is not 
right for men to abuse them for their own pleasure. 

MITSUMURA 

Of course it is their duty to save them. Unless 
the rich men spend money on them, how would 
these poor people be able to live? If everyone 
was as strict as you are, how would these women 
get along ? The way to save them is to throw money 
their way. 

TAMA i 

That is not the way to save them. We must do 
something more fundamental. 

MITSUMURA 

How are you going to do that? 

TAMA I 

Well, in the first place, by changing economic 
conditions. They do not fall into that way of life 
because they like it. Most of them sell themselves 
because of dependent families. They are driven to 
it by poverty. Therefore, we must give poor people 
a chance to earn money honestly, and at the same 
time we must pay them enough to live on. We 
ought to limit the length of the working-day, so 
that every laborer would have two hours a day for 
study. If capitalists would put these things into 
effect, we would have no poor in the country, and 
no women would have to sell themselves into slavery. 

92 




NARI-KIN 


And we would increase the efficiency of the whole 
nation. These are real social reforms, and our 
national prosperity depends upon their adoption. 

MITSUMURA 

Those are all very good ideas, indeed. But how 
are we going to make any money out of them? 
And besides, poor people are those who earn money 
and are never able to save it. The more they make 
the more they spend. They overeat and over¬ 
drink. They are never satisfied, and they are all 
lazy. As long as they have money they won’t work. 
And if we were to cut down their working hours, 
they would use the extra time for gambling, not 
for studying. And their children are just like 
them. The women buy luxuries that they can’t 
afford. If you educate them, they grow lazier than 
ever. I tell you, education won’t make them any 
better. The only way to treat them is to use a 
whip on them, and get as much work out of them 
as you can. That is their nature and you can’t 
change them. 

TAMA i 

If we had given them a chance and they had failed, 
then they would be to blame; but we haven’t given 
them a chance, so the fault is with society. We 
ought to start with our own factory and set an 
example to other companies. 

MITSUMURA 

That is a good idea, but not a practical one. Social 
reform is not the object of our company. 

TAMA I 

But at this very moment our employes are refusing 
to work without more pay, and if the strike lasts a 

93 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


month we will have a hard time filling our con¬ 
tracts. 

MITSUMURA 

Well, how are we going to make any profit if we 
pay higher wages? We might do some good, but 
we would lose money. There’s no sense in running 
the factory at a loss. If the strike lasts a month, 
all we have to do is delay filling our orders for 
another thirty days, and by that time they will be 
back ready to work. They can’t go without eating. 

TAMA I 

But our contract says the orders must be filled 
this month. 

MITSUMURA 

Quite true. There is a clause, though, which pro¬ 
vides that in case of strike we are allowed additional 
time. You look that up. 

TAMAI 

All right. I will. 

(He goes out at the left. The noise of a mob is heard 
outside. Chikako, Mitsumura s wife, runs into the 
office, frightened. She is young, and is dressed richly.) 

CHIKAKO 

Help! Help! Oh, I am so frightened. They 
threw stones at me! 
mitsumura ( unperturbed ) 

That is why I told you not to come here. We are 
having a strike. And besides, you belong at home; 
just as I belong here. It is a bad custom we have 
in this country of mixing the home with the place 
of business. In Western countries they keep them 
separate. And that is my principle. You can rule 

94 





NARI-KIN 


at home, but this office is my territory, and you 
should keep out. You must realize that I am a 
big man in the city now, and as you are my wife 
you must conduct yourself like a lady of position. 

CHIKAKO 

It’s very unkind of you to say that. And it sounds 
very well for you to speak of home as a sacred place, 
but the only time you are there is when you have a 
hangover or are sick in bed. And what’s more, 
its absurd for you to talk about my being the ruler 
at home. 

MITSUMURA 

Don’t be silly. You know I’d like to stay at home 
with you every day, but business is too pressing, 
and that is something I can’t help. After all, my 
hard work is for your sake. When I am rich you 
will be a high-up lady, and it’s time you began 
acting like one. 

CHIKAKO 

That’s why I am here now. I have come for your 
congratulations on my becoming a lady of position. 

MITSUMURA 

What do you mean? 

CHIKAKO 

I have just been elected vice-president of the W. 
C. T. U. 

MITSUMURA 

What! You were elected what! 

CHIKAKO 

Vice-president of the W. C. T. U. Prince Kuni 
is president for the whole country, and there are 
branches in all sections of Japan. I am head of 
the Osaka branch. 


95 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


MITSUMURA 

Oh, fine! That’s fine! I never heard of the organ¬ 
ization before, but my friend who has been abroad 
tells me that in Western countries the women are 
far ahead of our own women. This feminist move¬ 
ment is getting to be very important. 

CHIKAKO 

Yes, indeed it is important. And the mission of 
our society is to wage war on social immorality. 

MITSUMURA 

A fine idea! Women are so dreadfully immoral 
these days. 

CHIKAKO 

No more than men; and our object is to reform 
the men. 

MITSUMURA 

Reform the men! Oh, that won’t work at all. 
And besides, such a thing isn’t necessary. 

chikako (ignoring him, continues) 

In the first place, every member of our society 
keeps an eye on the conduct of her husband. 

MITSUMURA 

What! Keeps an eye on the conduct of her hus¬ 
band? 

CHIKAKO 

Yes; very strictly. 

MITSUMURA 

You are going to keep an eye on my conduct? 

CHIKAKO 

Yes, indeed. Most strictly! 

96 




NARI-KIN 


MITSUMURA 

Nonsense! My conduct is above reproach. Why 
should you watch over me? 

CHIKAKO 

I know, I know. But it is a rule of our society, and 
I have to keep my promise as a member. 

MITSUMURA 

You don’t need to keep any such promise. I am 
all right, and you had better go home. 

CHIKAKO 

No; I must keep my promise. And you will have 
to tell me every place you go, and exactly what 
time you will be home. 

MITSUMURA 

Well . . . I’ll be home . . . when I can. 

CHIKAKO 

At exactly what time? 

MITSUMURA 

I can’t tell now. 

CHIKAKO 

But from now on you must set yourself regular 
hours, and live up to them. 

MITSUMURA 

Stop talking foolishness! 

(Enter Yokichi.) 

YOKICHI 

I want to see the President—you, Mr. Mitsumura. 

MITSUMURA 

What do you want to see me about? No use ask- 

97 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


ing for a wage increase. The workers’ attitude in 
this present trouble is absolutely selfish and unjust. 
You will not get a cent from me. 

YOKICHI 

I am not here to talk about wages. We are out on 
strike, and we will stay out, even if we starve. 

MITSUMURA 

All right, then. But what do you want here? 

YOKICHI 

I have some things to show you—things that are 
far too expensive for me to have. 

MITSUMURA 

Why! You fellows are always preaching that all 
men are equal. And now you’re humbling yourself. 

YOKICHI 

We can discuss that later. Here are some things 
which should not belong to a poor man, and I 
wish you to buy them from me. 

{He takes from his breast the watch and diamond 
ring. Mitsumura starts.) 

chikako {delighted) 

Oh, what a lovely diamond ring! And a woman’s 
gold watch! 

mitsumura {staring in frightened astonishment) 

How did you get these? 

yokichi {with meaning) 

In a very strange way. 

MITSUMURA 

Strange ? 

YOKICHI 

Yes; I will explain. 


98 




NARI-KIN 


MITSUMURA 

No; I don’t want to hear it. 

CHIKAKO (to her husband ) 

But if you are going to buy them from him, you 
must find out how he got them, and all about it. 

YOKICHI 

Quite true, lady. As he is going to buy them from 
me, he must let me explain everything. 

mitsumura ( vehemently ) 

But I don’t want to buy them! 

CHIKAKO 

Why, this is just the kind of watch I have been 
wanting a long time. It is the very model I asked 
you to get me. And since Mr. Yokichi is so anxious 
to sell it, you may as well buy it and help him out. 

MITSUMURA 

No! No! I don’t want any second-hand stuff. 
It’s not good enough for you. 

YOKICHI 

If you knew the truth about these articles, you 
couldn’t refuse to buy them. 

CHIKAKO 

It must be a very interesting story. You must tell 
me all about it. 

YOKICHI 

Yes, lady; I must tell it. I will tell it. (He watches 
Mitsumura.) 

CHIKAKO 

Some generous lady must have given them to you 
to relieve your poverty. 

YOKICHI 

No; it was not a lady. It was a man, who 

99 






THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


calls himself a gentleman, who gave them to my 
sister. 

(He still watches Mitsumura. Mitsumura looks 
away.) 

chikako (eagerly) 

How splendid! Perhaps the gentleman is in love 
with your sister. He must be very kind. 

YOKICHI 

Yes. And I thank him for his kindness, but I 
despise his motive. 

CHIKAKO 

What motive do you mean? 

YOKICHI 

It is a very common one, to be found in any gentle¬ 
man. He tried to abuse my sister. 

chikako (surprised) 

Abuse your sister! Oshina? Why, she is only a 
young girl. 

YOKICHI 

Yes. And the gentleman has a wife. (He eyes 
Mitsumura.) 

CHIKAKO 

He has a wife? Oh, how terrible of him, then! 

YOKICHI 

He is a business man, with a wife who is as fine a 
lady as you. 

CHIKAKO 

How unbelievable! He must be very wicked! 
(To her husband) My dear, do you believe such 
things? That a man with a fine wife would try 
to abuse a young girl, and give her these beautiful 


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presents? What a deceitful person! Surely he 
cannot be a gentleman. 

MITSUMURA 

He is not a gentleman; he is a scoundrel, and is 
not worthy even to breathe the same air as gentle¬ 
men. 

CHIKAKO 

It is shocking! 

YOKICHI 

Yes, indeed. (Sarcastically to Mitsumura) And 
this scoundrel walks the earth with his head held 
high; and there are many other gentlemen like 
him. 

CHIKAKO 

Who is this man, anyway? I am the new vice- 
president of the W. C. T. U., and I shall certainly 
report him to the society. We shall see that he is 
made an example of. 

YOKICHI 

You say you will make an example of him? Well, 
then, I will tell you his name. 

CHIKAKO 

Of course you must tell me. . . . 

mitsumura ( interrupting) 

No! Don’t mention the name of such a scoundrel 
in my presence 
YOKICHI 

You may be right, sir. The names of such villains 
should not be mentioned before gentlemen like you, 
who have respectable wives. 

MITSUMURA 

Never! Never a word! It is disgusting even to 
hear of it! 

IOI 




THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


YOKICHI 

Then I shall say no more about him. But you 
will buy these articles? 

MITSUMURA 

Well . . . hm ... I suppose I have to. 

How much do you want for them? 

YOKICHI 

I will make them very reasonable. 

MITSUMURA 

How much? 

yokichi (after Looking from one to the other) 

Two thousand yen. 

mitsumura and chikako (in astonishment) 

Two thousand yen! (They rise, amazed; then seeing 
each other, resume their seats in embarrassment.) 

yokichi 

Don't you think that’s very reasonable? 

CHIKAKO 

Yokichi, you are joking! This watch and this ring 
never cost as much as that. Why, Mrs. Haruki, 
a friend of mine, bought the very best watch of this 
make for five hundred yen, and if you pay a thousand 
yen for a diamond you can get one ten times as big 
as this one. 

YOKICHI 

But, lady, this diamond is of unusual quality. 
Of course it is small, but it is beautifully cut; and 
if you put it in a dark room it will give off a blood- 
red glow. And the ticking of this watch is like the 
beat of a young girl’s heart. If you don't believe 
it, I will tell you its whole history, then you will 
believe it. 


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MITSUMURA 

Don’t bother to explain. I believe all that you 
say, and that they are very valuable articles. I 
will pay what you ask. 

YOKICHI 

You are wise, sir, and seem to understand things 
perfectly. 

CHIKAKO 

But it is too much to pay . . . 
mitsumura (interrupting) 

No price is too great for things that you wish. You 
are very dear to me. 

YOKICHI 

There is no one who thinks as much of his wife as 
Mr. Mitsumura. (To Chikako) You are a very 
fortunate lady. (To each of them in turn) You are 
the president of a big corporation, and you are the 
vice-president of the W. C. T. U. You are both 
wonderful people. 

mitsumura (aware of Yokichi's sarcasm) 

Don’t talk nonsense! You had better get home. 
Here are your two thousand yen. (He gets the 
money and reluctantly lays it on the table.) 

YOKICHI 

Thank you. (He takes the money.) This will help 
feed the poor workers for a while. 

(Outside are heard the shouts of the workers.) 

YOKICHI 

Even poor people can’t live without eating, and 
I have to look after those hungry devils outside. 
Good-bye, Mr. Mitsumura! Good-bye, madam! 
(He leaves.) 


103 





THREE MODERN JAPANESE PLAYS 


chikako ( picking up the watch and the ring ) 

Two thousand yen. Don’t you think that was 
too much? 

MITSUMURA 

Oh, this is a very rare gem. And the watch has a 
magic quality—a mysterious movement like the 
human heart. The woman who owns it is certain 
to be loved by her husband, for it has a strange, 
alluring power. 

CHIKAKO 

Is that really true? You are not fooling me! 

MITSUMURA 

It is true. I wouldn’t fool you for the world. 

CHIKAKO 

Sure? 

MITSUMURA 

Sure. You mustn’t doubt me. 

CHIKAKO 

Oh, I am so glad! You are a wonderful man! 
(They embrace.) 

CURTAIN 


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